Might I Say
by ElusiveEvan
Summary: This is a rewritten version of Might I Say, !formerly a series! as this starts out Harry finds a new home to train in and study as he prepares to hunt down Voldemort. Things don't stay calm for long. Character deaths!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

"Headmistress?" McGonagall looked up from amid the staggering piles of parchment on her desk and shot a rather deadly look toward Madam Pince. "We've got a bit of an issue. Someone has taken two books from the library." The Headmistress tilted her head. "They left a large bag of money in exchange but… I don't remember authorizing a sale."

"What was taken," both ladies looked up to the portrait of Albus Dumbledore.

The librarian thought for a moment before saying, "Hogwarts: A History and a book on basic wards."

The portrait man leaned back into his chair and grinned widely; "That, my dear lady, is Harry." McGonagall nodded dismissively and returned to her paperwork. That boy had somehow gone through the school without being seen by anyone, truly lucky, or truly amazing?  
hr  
"I call this meeting of the Order of the Phoenix to order. Tonks, the floor is yours." Alastor Moody sat back down and watched as his underling stood and began her report with one eye, his other eye examining contents of the large dirty sack Mundungus Fletcher had at his feet.

Today Tonks had long black hair and really pale skin with a heavy eye shadow, which gave her the appearance of a vampire. "As you know, during an interesting confrontation between Harry and Ron and Hermione on his birthday, Harry left. I followed him for a few more hours under your cloak Mad-Eye, and he caught me as we got to a pet store."

"Caught you, how," McGonagall asked curiously. "Did he see your footprints or what?"

"I mean I tripped, and he caught me," the witch replied, blushing. "It was the darn sidewalk's fault!"

"What was Potter doing at a pet store?"

"He went in after telling me to be more careful next time I stalk something, and when he came back out he turned and said to the owner, 'I'll pick them up in three days,' then left. As I was instructed I went back in three days and just before I could ask the shopkeeper about it, Harry walked in, followed him to the back, and came back out with a couple of cages, making strange noises. I couldn't figure it out because I was trying to stay hidden, and then he Disapparated."  
hr 

The area around him was empty save for the body of the basilisk that lay in a pile amongst its many shed skins. Harry Potter looked around the Chamber of Secrets smiling at the irony of him having become its only secret now. "Good," he said to himself, having piled the snake and skins up together finally, as up above his head his seventh year was beginning.

"_EVANESCO,_" he cried, slinging his wand forward. This spell had to be repeated many, many times until finally, the pile was gone. Looking at the layers of dirt and blood and mud that had developed here, in the chamber that was built into the plumbing of Hogwarts, Harry knew it'd take a lot more than the _Scourgify_ spell to clean this place up. Softly, he sank down onto the floor, and opened one of the many books he had brought with him from his store, and that he had bought from Florish and Blotts, and he had bought quiet a lot. Moaning Myrtle was promising to bring him news of the outside world every day and to keep his presence secret in exchange for his company, which he was afraid to admit, he would probably soon be happy to give.

He banished several large cardboard boxes and his trunk over the wet pathway in the chamber and onto the platform in front of the mouth of the statue of Slytherin. He looked back to the only to containers left and gave a grin. "_You must hate it in there." _Harry flexed his wand silently and the cages opened. _My nonverbal magic is getting better. _ Two long large cobras emerged from either cage, if they had limbs they would probably have been stretching them right about then. The cages weren't really that big. 

Harry flexed his wand arm and cleared a small area he could sit down in, then turned to look at the cobras. _"Rudra, Maleck, this is our home, for now. Here are the rules, you can come and go as you want, but never attack anything larger than a mouse, unless it attacks you first. Understand?" _The animals gave an affirmative hiss, bid him goodbye and then slithered off into the darkness on their first hunt.

Feeling a little better after finally letting his pets out of their cages, Harry retrieved the book he had been reading. He made his way through the filth to the platform where he sat, leaning against the large bag full of more books, a cauldron and several potion ingredients, these books in his bag even included Snape's book, which he had hid in the Room of Requirement. Over half an hour later he shoved aside his book and moved to statue of Salazar Slytherin. He had yet to examine what was in the mouth but did not doubt there was something in there.

Now was not the time though, as Harry truly needed to begin his search.

"_Silla,_" he said softly, pointing his wand at a large hunk of stone that had fallen near the mouth's opening. He watched in satisfaction –and to be honest, surprise- as the stone changed into a large, dark green armchair. Silently he flexed his wand and the chair flew backward, skimming over the top of the thin layer of water and landed directly in the opening of the mouth.

After transfiguring two more stones into matching ever-burning candles and another two into torches which stood straight from the ground he smiled. Finally he flexed his wand at his two candles and uttered, "_Flota!_" The candles took to the air beside the chair and hovered well above the top of the back.

Harry sat down and began to read in the chair, and though he had long periods where the darkness of the mouth he looked at was all he could focus on, he began to read, and read, and read, until he was completely and utterly bored with it. Finally, after what seemed like forever, he came upon a spell he wanted to try. "Ahh here we go," he said to himself softly, as he came across a spell that would be perfect for cleaning up parts of the chamber.

Standing with a sigh Harry Potter examined the Chamber of Secrets, which, he believed was only a prequel to whatever lay within chamber that the mouth of Salazar Slytherin acted as a door to. His gaze settled on the incantation needed to conjure several scrubbing brushes. He raised his wand. " _Restriegue_," he commanded, and watched as several ghostly white brushes appeared and began scrubbing at the layers of dirt and grime on the ground around him. After a while they disappeared, still leaving a respectable bit of filth in his new home. 

He'd have to work on the spell properly later, for now; he wanted to focus on cleaning the statue of Salazar Slytherin. After repeating the spell several times, and after another hour or two, Harry collapsed back into his chair with a sigh. He should have thought to study how to conjure a bed or something before he wore himself out to this degree. Yet, it was much too late now, and he was too tired. With a sigh he pulled out an old Transfiguration book. He could at least create a pillow and blanket. Several minutes later, Harry Potter was fast asleep. 

The armchair was a very, very comfortable bed, that is, until he was awoken.

"This is simply terrible," a voice said, right beside his right ear. Harry sat up immediately, rubbing his eyes. Quickly he turned and saw Moaning Myrtle floating over him. The light from her spectral form lit the area around him only slightly, because the torches were burning full force. "Harry, I love it." Harry allowed a bit of dark, bitter laughter to find him.

"I'll take that as a backward compliment, Myrtle, welcome to the Chamber of Secrets. It needs some renovating though," he said, modestly, looking around the large, echoing chamber. He'd need to conjure a bed, and learn some new cleaning spells, of course. "Come Myrtle, let's talk," Harry really needed to know some things, and he would now. "Who're the Head Boy and Girl," he asked finally.

"Hermione Granger and Justin Finch-Fletchley. I hear Blaise Zabini was a close pick though, from the other ghosts. One of the 6th year Gryffindor prefects got withdrawn from the school, its all a lot smaller now, the replacement is Ginny Weasley though." Harry sat up, quickly having lain down upon the cool floor to examine the high ceiling of the room.

"Ginny Weasley? Tell me about her, anything interesting," the girl's face appeared elated.

"I knew it! You still like her!" Seeing his obvious lack of embarrassment, she continued. "She was really sad when she went down to the sorting ceremony after the prefect's got done with getting this speech, it might be nice for you to send her a letter. She's definitely thinner and peaky, and her brother, that detestable ape he is, is looking put out too. Of course, he walked in today with extra long arms, so he looked even more like an ape, must have been jinxed." Harry nodded with a slight laugh.

"No news of Voldemort?" When the ghost shook her head he sighed and allowed himself to lie back. "Thank you Myrtle," he said softly.

"I need to get back to my toilet… in case someone comes," she said, sounding quiet clearly as if she was keeping something from him. "Goodbye, Harry," and without another word, she shot upward, and through the ceiling. Harry sighed as the ghost left, knowing he was alone save for the two snakes off wandering the chamber.

Maybe it would be an idea to write Ginny, hmm? He couldn't deny really wanting to talk to her. Silently he summoned forth a quill and piece of parchment and began his letter; he'd include the usual stuff, and then move on… she'd probably kill him if he didn't give at least, some information. As he finished he put down the quill and began reading.

_Dearest Ginny,_

_My sources tell me you are rather downtrodden lately, even going so far as to describe you as, 'thinner' and 'peaky.' Well let me tell you now, that won't do! You sure as heck better be eating right, and better start cheering up, or I'll know about it. I won't tell you how, nor where I am, just know that I am keeping an eye on you, and pass this on to Hermione and Ron as well. Also, please ask Ron not to be such a knuckle dragger. Just a joke, a joke. I'm well in hiding and training, studying spells that are just outside of Hogwarts curriculum, and some that are in. _

_Tell Hermione that thanks to her my Transfiguration has increased tenfold, and congrats on making Head Girl. I apologize if Kreacher wakes you; goodness knows he'll probably try. If you wish to return a message, make it the shape of a paper airplane and leave it at the Quidditch Pitch tomorrow morning before classes. Tell Ron to keep the Marauder's Map safe in the bottom of his trunk, it's the only thing I have left of my family. _

_Goodnight, Ginny. _

_-Sincerely _

_Harry J. Potter, The Boy Who Loved_

_P.S. Throw Hedwig some Owl Treats now and then for me, would you?_

With a slight smirk at his own play on words, he took a deep breath. "KREACHER!" He commanded. A resounding crack filled the room. Kreacher didn't at all look happy to see his master. "Kreacher thought master was gone, how pleasant to see master again. The filthy little half-blood he is…" Of course the last sentence was muttered but still said entirely too loudly.

"I order you to stop insulting me," he said just as irritated.

"As master wishes," the elf said after a long minute during which he looked torn between ripping his ears off of his head and screeching.

"Now, Kreacher, you will take this letter to the sixth year Gryffindor Girl's dorm, and lay it on Ginny Weasley's nightstand. You will not read it. You will not wake her or anyone up. You will not tell anyone at all where I am. **No one**. Do you understand me Kreacher?" The house-elf nodded yanking on one of its large ears. There was a large cut on his little nasty face, and it was bleeding rather harshly.

"Also, tomorrow morning you will go out to Quidditch Pitch and look for a piece of paper in the shape of a paper airplane. You will bring it to me. Now, you will tell master how you were injured."

The house-elf stopped his self injury, and took the letter from his master. "Kreacher was assaulted by that Dobby! Nasty reject, commoner!" Harry raised his wand to the elf's face and sighed.

"You will not fight with Dobby anymore, do you understand?" Now without understanding why, he waved his wand. "_Episkey._" The large cut and several smaller ones healed on the house-elf's face. Harry sighed; the creature was still his charge, and thus his responsibility.

"Master already ordered Kreacher not to fight with the commoner, Kreacher didn't fight back."

"When asked who healed you, you will say some passing student did it. I don't want you to mention my current existence within the castle. Now, Kreacher, act out your orders," he said, and watched as for a moment the house-elf's expression changed to confusion, and then the creature disappeared in a slightly quieter fashion.

_I was actually being nice to Kreacher? Why exactly would I want to do that?_

And up in the Gryffindor Common room, a very disgruntled Ron Weasley was being pulled into a seat by the fire. "What is it Hermione," he asked, thickly.

"Ginny woke up during the night to use the restroom and she said she found something. Woke me up and told me to come get you." Moments later, the girl in question came down the steps in her nightgown looking somewhat happier than usual, though pale.

"What is it, Gin," Ron asked, eyeing the parchment in her hand.

"I think Harry was here, and I think he's going to be here again tomorrow morning, here, read this," she said, a little color returning to her cheeks. She was indeed skinnier than last time she had been at the school, feeling infinitely lonelier. Ginny fell into a seat by the fire that was usually Harry's. "I have an odd feeling he won't show up to get the letter until we're gone, so I don't think there's a reason to sit around and wait."

"But we can always try," Ron said softly to his sister, and pulled her into a soft embrace. The girl's tears were rolling very silently down her cheeks. "He broke up with you, didn't he?" The redhead nodded into her brother's chest and she increased her hold on him.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

"_Master… there has been another creature down here,_" Rudra informed him.

"_It was merely my house-elf, Kreacher,_" he replied, beginning to read. The snakes climbed up onto the back of the chair and rested, their bodies hanging over the back, their heads level with his. It felt oddly peaceful to Harry. The sounds of their tongues shooting out didn't even disturb him after a few minutes. Of course, it only took a few minutes for him to finish reading the theory behind the spell and its history, and then he realized what was going on. "_You're reading, aren't you,_" he asked the animals, who nodded. "_Very wise, smart creatures you are… misunderstood. But how do you read English?_"

"_Through you, Master."_

Harry didn't pursue the subject at that moment. He needed a bit more sleep.

Harry's eyes landed on the two snakes lying on his stomach. As soon as they noticed that their master was awake they moved off into the darkness, hissing that they were off on hunt. Harry numbly looked up at the rock ceiling far above his head. Yawning, Harry sat up, gathering his thoughts. The snakes, Kreacher, and the Chamber of Secrets…. He reached into his pocket and withdrew his wand. Hastily he began to think, trying hard to find the incantation for the cleaning spell he had studied last night.

"_Restriegue,_" Harry uttered, pointing toward the long stretch of stone that wasn't covered in water. He repeated this once more at each row of statues and then began examining the walls. They were relatively clean though, and didn't matter nearly as much as the floor upon which he'd be sitting. He smiled at his handy work as the spell wore off and the brushes disappeared. It surely looked a whole lot better, a whole lot cleaner. Harry levitated the blanket and pillow over to the chair and continued examining the area. There'd be time to conjure furniture later, now food, and training.

"Kreacher!" And so came the house-elf again, a paper airplane in hand. Silent, and happy that the creature had been so prompt, he summoned the reply and carefully unfolded it and slipped it into his pocket. "How're you this morning?" The house-elf merely shrugged, "I see. Well, could you do me the favor of fetching some food from the kitchens, from Dobby only. If he asks where you're taking it, tell him you're unable to answer. He'll understand."

"Yes, master."

"Thank you, Kreacher." The odd look on the house-elf's face returned as he gazed at his master, and then he disappeared again. Harry returned to his chair, gazing once more into the dark chamber as the torches relit. He reached into his pocket with a feeling of giddy suspense and opened the letter.

_Dear Harry, _

_I'm glad you're okay, but why won't you tell me where you are? Ron and Hermione and I are going to wait at the Quidditch Pitch to see you, whether you want it or not. Hermione thanks you and I do too. Good luck with your studies, but please, come see us soon; I don't think the Headmistress would mind! We all miss you a lot, and await your next letter. I'm going to go to the kitchens with Ron and Hermione and try to figure out where you are, you know, and you can't stop me, but I bet you told Kreacher not to tell, so it'll be a waste anyway. We'll be trying though, and you know it._

_-yours whether or not you admit it_

_Ginny Weasley_

Harry sighed at the determined girl's letter and was saddened to see several small tear marks smudging the writing. Of course he'd be the cause of more pain; it seemed to follow him like a faithful puppy dog, following him from person to person, infecting them. Ron, Hermione, and now dear Ginny, how could he allow himself to cause her pain too? What good was he? Slowly he reached into his bag at random and drew up a book on conjuration spells. And that was what he would read until Kreacher returned to the Chamber with his breakfast.

_Bed Conjuration spells. The bed's type will depend on the skill level of your conjuration. The idea is to picture your desired bed, but if your magic isn't focused enough on it, the spell results by creating a different kind of bed based on what results you would have put out. Most likely you'll be conjuring a cot for a while. The spell is Reino Cansado!_

Harry pondered wearily whether it'd be such a good idea to try it before he worked on more jinxes and the like, but decided in the end, he'd want a good night's sleep, or whatever he could get of one. Standing from his spot in the chair, Harry began working through his mind, assembling a small, twin sized bed_. A dark green sheet, one pillow, medium sized… and a warm blanket_, he thought trying to focus on it but finding the idea of focusing on the mental picture of a bed hopelessly amusing.

As soon as he got his giggles under control, and had paused to be surprised he could still laugh, the once more grimfaced Harry Potter raised his wand toward the stretch of cement that served as a bridge and walkway to the head of Slytherin. "_R-REINO CANSADO,_" he uttered, and predictably, nothing happened. "Oi… this is going to be a long day. Where's my breakfast?"

Harry began his examination of the spell once more taking his seat in the doorway to what he had come to think of as the Mouth Chamber. When several minutes had passed without return of his house-elf, Harry began to notice the growl in his stomach. He replaced the book on the chair with a sigh and stood once more to attempt the spell. "_REINO CANSADO,_" he uttered once more, and was happier than punch to see what appeared. A small blue cot appeared out of thin air, and dropped to the ground. Harry looked at his first bit of bed conjuration with pride and nodded. Flicking his wand silently, he watched as a blanket and pillow flew across the room and landed in their rightful positions on the cot.

The crack that followed wasn't the result of anything breaking, thankfully, as Kreacher finally returned to the Chamber. "People will be suspicious if you spend too much time down here, Kreacher, but thank you for bringing me food. You will tell Master if it is poisoned," he said, an odd wave of—well earned— paranoia washing over him.

"No, it is not poisoned, Master," the house-elf said, with a lack of his usual, odd brand of flair. "Kreacher must return; he is supposed to clean up a mess in the dungeons." Harry nodded, looking at the tiny creature in front of him and shook his head.

With a wave of his wand, and an uttered spell, the withered rag the creature wore was replaced with a semi-good looking pillow case, very similar to what Harry had seen Dobby wearing when they met. "You'll tell anyone who asks that you found that, alright?" The house-elf nodded and then disappeared.

Harry took the food to his cot where he ate sitting up, and after the quick meal was over, he returned to reading. He shoved the conjuration book aside and pulled out one of the books he had taken from Hogwart's library. 

_The Repellent ward is a simple one and, unless challenged by a force stronger than the caster's, an effective one as well. You merely cast the spell like a perimeter. You find spots that you want the ward to use as the perimeter, for instance, four cornerstones of a building, or four walls of a room, then before you cast the spell on the final point, you speak the name of people and spells you want kept from this room, like so; "I wish to be warded from So-And-So." Very useful for minor annoyances. The incantation to begin the ward is "_Respuo" _when you have finished warding, end it with_, "compleo." _Remember, the strength of a ward depends on how much magic you use when casting each part of it.  
_

_Like Myrtle, _Harry thought. _That way she wouldn't be able to sneak up on me while I'm sleeping._

Harry turned and stood, backing away from the cot. He aimed his wand at a spot on the ground a few feet away from a leg of the cot. "Alright, let's see, incantation… incantation… here…" Harry turned his attention to the spot, and focused on gathering up a bit of the energy inside of him, "_Respuo!" _ A blue light sprouted from the spot Harry pointed at. He repeated this twice with two other legs, then aimed at the last. "I wish to be warded from Moaning Myrtle, I wish to be warded from Kreacher." That way neither of the two of them could sneak up on him while he slept. "_Respuo!" _The fourth beam of blue light connected, and Harry nodded, examining the work. "_Compleo_," and then each light disappeared, signifying that the perimeter had been sat.

Harry noticed immediately that he was very tired; perhaps he was moving to advanced spells too quickly? Right now, he had no choice. He turned and went to repeat the same process on the platform leading to the Mouth Chamber, as he'd begun to think of it. Of course, he had no choice but to try out his newly warded cot after this, having tired himself out.

Kreacher brought him lunch a few hours later, and Harry ate it gratefully. After finishing his meal, he decided to get back to work. Though it took Harry many hours, by the time Kreacher had come with his next meal, Harry had managed to conjure several things to make his stay in the Chamber a little more comfortable. On the platform next to the armchair now sat a table with a wooden chair in front of it, several scrolls of paper from Harry's pack, a plate, a glass goblet and under this, covering the whole of the platform was thick, lush red carpet. He left the long cement walkway that held the cot and led from the entrance to the platform the same.

"Hello Kreacher," he said when the house-elf returned, "Thank you for the food." The house-elf as usual said nothing, but laid the tray of food on the ground and disappeared, back to the kitchens no doubt. Harry picked the tray up and brought it over to his table where he sat it. He flicked his wand toward his glass goblet and thought, _Aguamenti._

It filled to the brim with water. Harry sat down, putting a book on transfiguration down beside the goblet so he could eat while he read.

_The Animagi are a powerful group of people in the world who have the ability to turn into animals. The recorded limit of animals one Animagi can achieve is two. This was achieved by a schoolboy of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry by the name of Arwin Dumbledore. At first, your practice by using a spell to transform you bit by bit into an animal of your choosing. _

_After your body has been fully transformed into the animal several times, you won't need an incantation or wand at all, but merely a mental picture of the animal. It is advised that any one who studies to become an Animagus makes sure that they know as much as possible about the animal they wish to become, perhaps basing it off of a pet of theirs. _

The best possible way to go about preparing to become an Animagus is to study a living specimen of the type of creature you wish to become. As you take on the creature's attributes, you receive their skills as well. For instance, a person who is dedicated and skilled enough to transform into a phoenix would have the ability to transport using flames, to heal with their tears, to be reborn if something happened to kill them.

A person who transforms into a thestral will be able to fly like thestrals and will be invisible to someone who has not seen someone else die. Also, the blood of a person who is in the form of a unicorn, or a dragon will have the same uses the real creatures supply with their blood. When practicing transformations and you're first starting out and using incantations and your wand try starting with a very small part of you, maybe a finger or a toe.

Harry shut the book and shoved aside the tray. _If I were to become an Animagus, what would I want to be? What's deadly, but at the same time evasive and quick. I wouldn't want to be easily seen if I transformed._

"Hello, massterrr." Harry turned to Maleck and was about to reply when his eyes widened.

_"Maleck, will you do me a favor?" _


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

Harry finished sketching out Maleck and gave the snake the thumbs up. The creature contorted itself in another manner that only snakes can. Harry sat down at the table and once again began to draw. Rudra returned from the hunt and watched intently until Harry finished that angle.

_"Thank you Maleck, I don't want to keep you any longer, I'm sure you're hungry."_ Harry put down the quill and watched as Maleck slithered to the edge of the table and then down one of the legs. The two snakes slid off into the chamber, they'd yet to venture into the Mouth Chamber, but he wasn't volunteering. It wasn't so much that he was scared, not anymore, but he was busy. He'd taken to spending several hours a day studying, and divided the rest between practicing spells, studying Maleck and pursuing a most interesting part of his studies.

It was time to do that now. Harry took a deep breath and reached under the table. With a mighty heave he picked up the large stone basin and put it on the table, his notes on the cobra covered up. Harry reached into another box on the table and pulled from it a small bottle of silver liquid. This was labeled 'Age 155-156' A year's worth of memories from one of the most powerful men the Wizarding World will ever know. Harry took a deep breath.

He had never known until he had gotten the letter from Dumbledore, how much a pensieve could hold, and here was a years worth of Dumbledore's prominent memories, not ever waking moment, but prominent memories. The man, in his infinite wisdom, had begun recording ever major experience this way, putting a copy of the memory into the bottle he had labeled for that year. Harry checked what the earliest memory in his collection was, and it was one he had truly been frightened by.

**_Several years ago_**

A younger Albus Dumbledore raised his wand upon a huddled mass on the ground. All around them was nothing but desert, dry, desolate desert. Immediately near them the desert floor was soaked with blood, and draining it quickly, thirstily. The source of this blood was obviously Dumbledore. There was a heavy wound on his stomach that was bleeding so massively, that onlookers would believe it impossible he would live much longer. The wound truly looked fatal.

The form rolled over, its eyes glowing bright red. Long hair flowed down to its shoulders, a crimson red that looked as if it might have been white before being stained with the blood of the man standing over him. The form raised a wand but before he could shoot off a spell the wand went flying, and the hand crumpled into a fist, and then smaller, as if being squeezed by a heavy vice.

The sound of bones breaking was very easily heard as whatever spell that the future Headmaster had cast continued to work. The other hand suddenly began to react this way, but the beings face didn't contort in pain, it didn't seem to notice it was hurting. Instead, laughter began to ring out through the deadly silence of the hot desert day. When this cleared, the being spoke in a horrid voice, full of hate and malice, with a heavy german accent. "You can kill me now Albus, but I've seen the future. One day, I will wreak havoc on this world once again, and there is nothing you'll be able to do to stop me then."

Dumbledore raised his wand high and aimed it at the man/creature curled up on the ground. He didn't speak for a long time, instead he remained staring silently. "Didn't you hear me? I'll come back, I'll kill you!" Then, of all things, young Dumbledore smirked, letting his wand arm fall to his side.

"Come now Adolf, you truly can't expect me to believe that," Dumbledore raised his wand again even with the being's head. "Grindlewald, Adolf, whoever you really are, you will not return, nothing and I mean nothing, can raise the dead. _Decedo_!"

That had been the earliest memory Dumbledore had kept for Harry when he passed, but Harry would use his mentor's memories to do whatever he could to hunt down the Horcruxes. He knew that two had been destroyed, he knew one was Nagini, and that another was Slytherin's locket, but after that… there were two unidentified ones, one likely being the cup of Hufflepuff. Tonight, however he was on the lookout for information about the cup of Hufflepuff.

When Harry pulled back from the p**ensieve **almost an hour later, he was not any the wiser as to the location of another Horcrux. Harry yawned. It was getting late and he needed to rest.

Harry spent several weeks this way, training, studying, examining the memories of Dumbledore. He'd also managed to conjure himself an actual bed, but deciding it looked too gaudy, had abandoned it in favor of his old cot which he had taken a liking to. He'd manage to set up a basic ward on his cloak that would protect him from the disarming spell and the stunning spell while he wore it, so long as the caster wasn't using more energy in his or her spell than he was when he put the ward up. Wards using objects were much harder to do as well.

He'd continued studying Maleck from every angle and could call up a good picture of the creature in his mind whenever needed, but in his practicing had yet to manage to vanish an arm, much less turn into a snake or do it without the incantation and wand. He spent each evening with Myrtle or practicing offensive spells on conjured dummies, or large hunks of stone that had fallen from the statues here and there over the many years, remembering to not only repair the stone, but the statues themselves afterwards.

He'd used several wards to practice dodging and blocking spells by placing a ward for a spell on a statue, then hexing the statue and having the spell he had sent fly back at him. After several hours of wobbling around the chamber, he'd managed to get better. Harry was also practicing his potion work, begrudgingly with the assistance of the Half-Blood Prince. In a box under his table he had stowed flagons of dreamless sleep potions, a large dose of Poly-Juice and several other minor healing potions along with a very badly done

Draught of the Living Dead.

In another box one found Shrinking Solutions, the Draught of Peace, the Confusing Concoction, several flagons of Blood-Replenishing potion, several antidotes to various Truth Serums, (including Veritaserum) and even eight flasks full of the all powerful Veritaserum itself.

Though his most prized potion he wanted to make was also the one he most feared to ever use. It was simmering in his cauldron this very minute. Felix Felicis is one of the most devilishly tricky potions to make, and Harry knew for a fact that if he'd messed up in even one tiny margin of the potion, the drinker could be killed. Ever diagnostic spell he had found in his books and used to check the potion told him he had done it correctly. He didn't think he wanted to risk it, and anyway, what use could Felix Felicis be down there? And anyway, he had six months left to let this thing simmer. He had worked on all these potions during the summer and while he was down there first, so that he would have them just in case.

He knew however, that most of these potions—useful though they were— would be illegal if he used them on anyone without explicit permission. The only potions he probably couldn't be punished for using would be the Draught of Peace, the Confusing Concoction, and the Blood-Replenishing potion.

Harry yawned as he sat back, inspecting the brewing potion which was beginning to show the color it should be. _The fumes are getting to me, _Harry decided an hour later, _I need to go to bed._

And bed he went to, for a while.

"_AVADA KEDAVRA!" A body hit the ground with a resounding thump in the dark room, lit only barely by a flickering candle. _

"_HELP ME!" The girl in the small dark room had long dark hair and slightly almond shaped eyes of the same color. She was tall and slender with a rather beautiful form. She moved quickly and lithely away from the man in the room with her as another came in behind him._

She was pinned up against the wall when next she spoke. "HELP ME! SOMEONE!" And he was laughing, just laughing as he approached her.

"_Kill her," the man said, uncaring, only annoyed. The snake shot past him and sank her fangs deep within the girl's arm. A wand was drawn and knocked away from the Hogwarts graduate's grasp. Moments later, the girl fell to the ground, dead. "Lucius my dear boy, go set up the mark." _

Harry awoke with a start. Instantly he knew he had no time to waste. "Kreacher," he called, and once more the house elf appeared before Harry, now in his new pillow case outfit, which made Harry wince just to look at it. He couldn't give the guy an actual set of clothes; he was stuck with this house elf whether or not he liked it.

"Kreacher was sleeping Master…" the house elf complained, obviously tired and just as obviously not happy at being woken up.

"I know, I was too until a while ago. Go now, and tell the Headmistress only what I tell you to, tell her nothing else about me or where I am. Tell her "Harry Potter has told me Cho Chang has been murdered." Do you understand? Do it now." When the house-elf was gone, a very angry, very perplexed Harry began pacing, up and down the large cement slab overlooking the thin layer of water.

After what seemed like an hour, he flung himself upon his cot and held his head in his hands, trying to think. It wouldn't help to brood on things, but he had to know if there was anything he could do… anything at all.

"Harry," came a woeful little voice. Harry didn't even turn. "What's wrong?"

"Someone was attacked," he muttered. "There was a death, Myrtle. I'm sorry, I just… meh." He sighed and sank down onto the cot, turning to the ghost. "How're things?" The girl looked as if she was uncomfortable, but merely sank partially through the floor to his level of sight.

"No news, no one visited yesterday or today so far. I just heard noise so I came down. It's nearly midnight." Harry shrugged, having lost all sense of time already.

Harr turned away from the ghost and whispered in parseltongue. _"Where are you, my pets? Come to me,_" he repeated this twice and waited in the silence, until faintly he heard the sound of a snake's hiss.

"That's it! That's the language the boy was speaking," Myrtle exclaimed suddenly. It took Harry a moment to understand but when he did he looked down silently, closing his eyes and gearing up for a talk he didn't want to have. It was time she know the truth.

"Myrtle… you were killed by Lord Voldemort. Or more, Lord Voldemort's pet basilisk. Voldemort was a direct descendant of Salazar Slytherin, so he could speak parseltongue and command the basilisk. When he attacked me, he gave me the power too… the basilisk that killed you, is… is dead. I killed him." The girl pulled back, looking quiet taken aback, as if she was going to commit murder herself.

"You're telling me… Voldemort killed me?" Harry nodded looking down. He wasn't shocked to see the girl disappearing through the stone ground.

"She won't be back for a while," Harry muttered, and collapsed backward onto the cot, drawing the blanket up around him. He wanted to sleep, just sleep. It was odd that he'd finally gotten his first vision in so long, and it'd be of someone he had once cared about so much, but in another way it wasn't that odd at all, Voldemort thought he loved her, didn't he?

_Foolish Riddle, _he thought as he heard the slithering noises. Seconds later he was joined on either side by the two dark cobras, who merely curled up beside his cot, and lured him into a conversation, mainly about what they had seen when they went through the dark doorway into the mouth of Slytherin.

"_There were thousands and thousands of identical looking doors, Master," _ Rudra, the female said.

"_Thousands and thousands,"_ agreed Mareck, the male cobra.

_"Describe the doors, would you,"_ Harry said to Rudra.

"_They're all very old and beautiful, polished solid oak. And they have numbers and names on them, the numbers might be dates,"_ Rudra complied.

"_Your name was on one, Master, right below the year 1995. There was more on the doors I did not understand."_

Harry paused… old, solid oak, polished, it sounded familiar.

"_I read the words on the door with your name, Master, it said "We need somewhere to learn to fight,"_ Rudra hissed.

Harry sprung immediately to his feet at the end of his cot. All thoughts of sleep slipped from his head. _"Come, my pets, show me."_ And with his head held high, Harry Potter entered the Mouth Chamber, known by the four founders of the school as The Source of Requirement. When he had passed into the darkness, his wand tip flared to life at his silent command. Harry's emerald eyes saw a large chamber; on either wall were many, many doors, perfectly as the snakes had described them.

As Harry walked by the doors, there were indeed names and dates, and phrases on them, he continued along, eyeing the dates, until he got into the year 1995, near the end of the gigantic hall, in fact, on the right side, the door he wanted was the last one. It read, "1995, Harry Potter, We need somewhere to learn to fight." When he turned his head, he saw on that end, "1996 Draconus Malfoy, I need somewhere to work." Harry shook his head and looked at the next door. It bore his name once more, and under that was, 'I need somewhere to hide my book.' On the opposite side of the hall was a replica, only this one proclaimed need of retrieving his book. Harry opened the door and sure enough, when he looked inside there was the room full of piles of junk.

Harry figured it wouldn't hurt to do some exploring now that he was completely awake.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

Harry went into the room and continued his exploration, which for several; reasons he had not managed to do before then. He didn't want to spend too much time in there, for some reason, the whole idea of the Mouth Chamber had sent shudders up and down his spine. He went back to the cabinet he had hidden his book in, and examined the area around it. There, some ways away was the disappearing cabinet Malfoy had used to get Death Eaters into Hogwarts.

Harry growled at the mere thought of Malfoy, vowing to rip the boy limb from limb if ever they met again. In the cabinet was the cage with the odd creature, several different old parchments that seemed to contain nothing but old love notes on them, and an old book. It was leather bound and had an oddly shaped 'R' cut into the cover. Harry pushed it aside and continued exploring.

The cabinet held an old rusty bayonet and several tattered old books, including some that seemed to be from the library, mostly from the restricted section. No doubt some Hermione-type students had had accidents with books and had hidden them to avoid punishment. It was common knowledge that Madam Pince didn't really keep very good track of who checked out what. However, if you tried to walk out with a book without checking it out, she knew, and you would too!

Nothing of great interest was found, and after an hour, the appeal of the room full of junk was gone. The stuffed troll he had seen last time did however manage to not only find its way out of the room with Harry's help, but had taken a place in the old armchair in front of the doorway to the Mouth Chamber. He turned and stared down the expansive hallway one last time and that's when he noticed the final door at the end of the hall, clear and unmarked. With Rudra and Maleck in tow he made his way back down the hall.

His hand slowly came to the knob of the only unmarked door. Just touching it sent waves of magic up and down his arm, as if the room beyond supplied it. Harry turned his head to Rudra. "Both of you stay out here," He commanded, and opened the door. All he saw was what looked to be a broom cupboard. Slowly he entered, and felt the door shut behind him. As this shut, it seemed as if a great whirlwind of suction grabbed at him, and he felt himself flung forward into the room.

Instead of collapsing into a wall as he had seen himself doing, he felt himself flying through what he could call a warm wall. When his eyes opened again, he saw… white. Around him was seemingly nothing. What he saw was white; there was no shadow, no grey, and no black, no color at all, white. Slowly his mind readjusted to the situation.

_Could this be what the Room of Requirement is like in its natural form,_ he wondered, and to his shock, something dark, black it seemed, appeared in thin air. It seemed as if something was dissolving into the air, shaping into the word, 'yes.' "Show me who created the room." He asked, and felt the room's energy quake, strong enough to make him lose his footing and fall to the… the… err… white. Turning his head away from the pulsating energy that had caused this quake he bit his bottom lip hard. A moment later, everything came to a head. Or four.

There in front of him stood four tall figures, all very, very old. One was clad in a deep maroon, one in a dark blue, another in bright yellow and the final, most familiar looking, was in a dark green. Harry's breath left his chest, as he saw the two men waver, as if about to lose their footing, but straightened at the last second as a cane appeared in either hand.

Harry's energy faded and he collapsed into a heap on the ground.

Harry gazed up at the four withered old faces above him, and the white that surrounded them. His heartbeat increased as vague recognition came to him of three of them, and a confirmed, sense of knowing resulted when his eyes found the fourth. "_Salazar Slytherin_," he whispered in parseltongue closing his eyes once more. He took a deep breath and continued in English, his eyes still closed against the brightness. "Rowena Ravenclaw, Godric Gryffindor, and Helga Hufflepuff…the founders of Hogwarts?" He asked, allowing his eyes to take in the most ancient faces.

There seemed to be kindness behind each set of eyes, even those of Slytherin. Harry didn't fancy telling him that he was only a halfblood, but shook his head hard. Salazar mimicked this. "The degree of one's blood has little matter to me anymore boy. Stand up now and tell us why you summoned us here, and how." Trembling, shaking he rose to his feet, and fell back once again, only to feel himself righted as Gryffindor motioned him forward.

And so he told them his name, his house, and where they were. When he was done, three founders turned to the fourth. "So that was where you set the source of our room to come from. That was where the Source of Requirement was hidden." Harry took a deep breath, looking at Helga who had just spoken. His body was still shaking, out of fear more than anything. Something clicked in his brain, telling him to show some manners, and he dipped into a low bow, lower than he had ever gone for Buckbeak.

"Forgive me… I was shocked," he said softly. The woman in yellow, Helga Hufflepuff rolled her eyes.

"We're not Hippogriffs boy," she barked out, "we're merely four old, OLD people. We require no bows of subservience."

"If Hermione were here now… she'd die, absolutely die," he whispered in utter shock. He suddenly felt something probing at his mind, it was as if his defenses had lasted so little time that he hadn't even felt them break.

"You poor boy…" Rowena said, suddenly. "Do you see what you've done, Salazar?" She asked, rounding quickly on the old man. "Examine the boy's mind; see the monsters you've spawned! See what they've done!" The man's old, wrinkled face contorted in concentration, and he felt three more probes going through his mind, these people had no care for his privacy.

In a way, however, his life had been ruined by descendants of Slytherin. His mouth opened and he broke into a stutter. "I-I-I- I just…" But by then the four people had turned away from him, as if discussing something.

"We're nearly a thousand years old," Godric said softly. "If we make reappearance… as a whole…"

"I don't see why you should have to, Godric, the man is my descendant," Slytherin challenged roughly. He seemed, despite his old age and look, to be in control.

"Well the boy is mine," Godric replied, even louder, motioning toward Harry. This, a left field to Potter, caused him to draw back hard enough to lose his balance and fall. When he had righted himself he spoke

"I'm your what," Harry asked, taken aback still, and not exactly believing what he heard.

"There's no denying it boy," Godric said, turning back to him. "You've got my blood in you! From your father's side of course, he came from a nearly pureblooded family." As the man continued his talk with the others, Harry let this set in. He, Harry Potter, the boy who lived under the stairs, was the descendant of Godric Gryffindor.

"You boys always get to have the fun, don't you? If we come back, we'll have to be careful. We'll want to get Dippet in on it, that's for sure," Rowena said, her voice increasing in pitch, as if she was being entertained.

"Dippet? Armando Dippet? He's not been headmaster for many years," Harry interjected. "He gave up his spot to Albus Dumbledore."

"All the better then," Godric replied rather rowdily. "That man knows how to have fun."

Harry shook his head silently.

"Gone too?"

He nodded, his eyes closed, not exactly wanting to speak the confirmation, as if it'd make it a little more real if he did.

"Minerva McGonagall took over," Gryffindor finally concluded, with Harry giving merely a second nod.

"We're going to have to come, hiding out has been fun, but we're behind the times, and we can't get anymore books delivered to us, after the last man," Godric shot a horribly evil look toward the other male of the four founders who grumped about an insult.

"We're nearing then end of even our magnificently long lives, Godric, why live out a war this late in our time," Helga challenged, sounding tired indeed.

"Because, Helga, Hogwarts needs us. Rowena, you can See, when shall we emerge?"

"When the bell chimes midnight, there will be an attack on the school, should we not emerge before then," Harry turned quickly to Ravenclaw. His skeptical eye was quickly put under control, because, he was sure that Seeing was real now, wasn't he? And it wasn't his place to question someone like her, was it?

"You had a question dear," she asked kindly.

"You're a Seer," he asked.

"Only about things that pertain to Hogwarts, and only when I'm within it. It's a side effect of the magic that keeps us alive," she explained, examining the room around her. Harry didn't see what there was to examine, it was all white, nothing else, nothing. In fact, it was kind of disturbing to be the most colorful thing in the room, it made him feel in the spotlight as he always did when he was up in the school.

"Outside it is nearly ten O-clock in the evening, we don't have much time." Godric said, softly.

"What, that's impossible; it wasn't even one in the morning when I went in there."

"Time moves differently in the unaltered room." Godric replied wisely, his lips curling into an old tired smile.

"Here is what you can do," Rowena said to Harry in a soft, tired voice.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

Ginny ran her hand over the back of the parchment holding Harry's letter, a soft, sad smile on her face. Hermione was talking to her about something, the nature of which, the girl couldn't grasp. Besides, if _he_ wasn't the one saying the words, than what did they matter at this point in time? Ron was staring lazily into the fire; none of them had been able to sleep.

The fire suddenly sparked stronger, and then glowed bright emerald. All at once a head was in the fire, the head of their beloved Harry. Over the past few weeks he had gained a slightly tired look, Hermione noted, once finished recovering from the shock of his sudden appearance. "Ginny, Ron, Hermione," he looked past them to the small group of Gryffindors who still remained in the Common. "Romilda, Seamus, Neville, Dean, I need you four to go find the Headmistress and tell her to gather every student and get them to the Great Hall." It took a good few seconds for the four people to leave, mercifully leaving him alone with the three he needed to talk to the most.

A deadly silence stretched throughout the common room, and Harry took the time to examine his friends. Ginny was definitely thinner, and looked worn with worry. Hermione had never looked better; she seemed to have definitely had a good day. Ron had increased his muscle mass dramatically, and was making a good candidate for heaviest Quidditch player ever.

Despite their differences and quirks, they were still his old friends. He allowed a smirk to come to his face, which destroyed the silence.

"Harry, where are you," Ginny asked finally, still very much shocked by his appearance.

"The Room of Requirement, with some, _old_ friends. Get to the Seventh floor and call the Room, with the phrase "I need the secrets you hold." I will be there, and so will a few other people, just do it you three, and fast. We only have a couple of hours." Harry's face gazed longingly at Ginny for a moment before it disappeared and the fire died down.

"Good, wait for me, I need to get something." Harry dashed from the Room quickly as the fireplace he had just been using to talk to Ginny disappeared from the white, taking a flying leap over Rudra and Maleck and bolting out into the Chamber. He jumped under the table and pulled out the boxes of potions. Summoning a bag from the pile of junk in the corner he quickly but carefully loaded it up with three flasks of Blood-Replenishing potion, a couple of Dreamless Sleep potions and a Strengthening Solution which he slipped into his pocket instead of putting in the bag. Then as an afterthought he retrieved a flask of the Draught of the Living Dead.

"Kreacher!" The house-elf apparated in instantly and Harry motioned. "Come with me."

He slung the bag over his shoulder and dashed back into the Mouth Chamber so quickly he tripped over the bottom of his overlarge jeans and fell. Rudra and Maleck came slithering after him to check if he was alright, but he first checked on the potions, and luckily none had been destroyed. Harry took a moment to slice off the bottom of the jeans and continued running.

He opened the door and allowed the snakes to come in behind him before greeting the Founders. Then, the room began to twist, and a new door began to materialize on the other side of the room.

"Here we go," Slytherin and Gryffindor exclaimed in unison.

"Hermione, I think we'll need to help the Headmistress, will you wake up the rest of the house, since you're Head Girl," Ron asked, quickly, thinking calculatingly as he usually only did in Chess matches. "Then go on to the Great Hall with the rest of them… I have a feeling we'll be going there when we collect whoever we need to."

The girl gave him a piercing gaze, examining him, his face, his body, everything. Then she nodded.

Watching Hermione retreat up the staircase, Ginny turned to her brother, who merely nodded and led the way out of the common room.

As they stared moments later at the blank stretch of wall, they heard the sound of many students moving toward the Great Hall. "Let's do it," Ginny said, and set off at a walk. First pass. _I need the secrets you hold. _Second pass. _I need the secrets you hold_. Third pass. _I need the secrets you hold!_

When the pair came to a stop, a door appeared in the wall, and before Ginny could reach for it, it flew open, and a tall, strong looking, and magically strong, form emerged. At first she was blinded by the light emitting from the room, and then she saw two dark snakes slip out of the room, followed by the tall form, hissing at them. A house elf followed after. The form continued hissing out orders to the snakes, and then silently cast a spell on each of them.

"Harry," Ginny asked, not quiet sure if it was him. He was much more muscular than he had been, his hair seemed to have an oily cast too it, somewhat similar to Snape's. Once she got over this, she could see her Harry at last. Harry's dark cloak was hanging limply around him, rather dirty and weighed down by said dirt. His shirt and pants were equally as dirty, and his feet were bare and caked with filth. The hissing emitted again from his mouth for a second, and the snakes reared around to examine the girl.

"Kreacher, you and Rudra and Maleck will accompany us to the hall. Once there, you will return to your post in the Kitchen, and the snakes will stay with Ginny. Coast is clear," He said, turning back to the open door.

Ginny gasped as two, very old looking men emerged from the room, followed by two ancient women.

"Ginny, Ron, meet the four Founders of Hogwarts, Godric, Helga, Rowena, and Salazar, and my friends. Rudra and Maleck. We'll be saving your arses today," he said, in a false calm companionable tone. Without another pause he took off down the hall, toward the Great Hall where a whole school sat in wait. After a few more seconds of gazing dumbfounded at the four tall, ancient figures in front of them, the two Weasley's followed.

Hermione sat beside the Headmistress, talking in a deep whisper when the chaos broke out. The candles in the room all went out and then flared up with a new intensity, signifying a new strong magical presence was growing near, and moments after that, the doors opened. "VOLDEMORT IS COMING!" Thus came the cry of Harry Potter who ran forward, two large green cobras at his command.

"_To your post_," he hissed downward, loudly, and the gasps grew louder, a couple people even screamed. The snakes turned suddenly and slithered off toward the new group of people to enter the hall. To Hermione it was clear who these old people were, their faces were embedded into her mind from countless paintings. "The Hogwarts Founders have returned with a warning of another attack on the school."

Harry said, once he arrived by the teacher's table. The Headmistress was eyeing the two large Cobras who seemed to be standing guard over the Weasleys by the entrance. "Look, we lost Dumbledore last time, and this one is going to be twice as large! Will you gather the teacher's and send them out to fight? We have help, in the way of the FOUNDERS of this school, we can hold off the attack now." His breath was ragged, and he was utterly irritated by the woman's lack of response. "Come on," he roared suddenly, and her eyes widened in understanding. 

He didn't want to have to be so rude like that, but it clearly got his point across.

"Professors! You will come with me to the front of the school, the Head Boy and Girl will be in charge, anyone who disobeys them will be severely punished." The Teacher's table was emptying as the talk continued full bloom; Harry turned and pointed his wand at his own throat. "Sonorus," he whispered. "EVERYONE CALM DOWN," he yelled, causing his voice to boom and echo across the room, repeatedly.

When the echo finally died down he took a deep breath. Looking irritated at the large mess he had made, (he really was rather dirty, walking through mud and sewage and the like down in the Chamber,) he waved his wand and set brushes on the floor of the Great Hall where he had walked, and then on himself, ignoring the piercing glares people were giving him, as there were no teachers left, and the four mysterious older figures had disappeared from the room behind them.

A moment later the brushes were gone, and he and his clothes dry, he noticed something different, and opened his eyes to see Ginny standing directly in front of him. Before he could open his mouth, his lips were met by hers, only briefly, and when she pulled away, he was bright red. They were in front of the whole hall. Thankfully little if anyone had even noticed, as they all seemed quiet busy amongst themselves; fearing, mainly. As he predicted it was only moments before the general wave of numbing shock had worn off, and several people were beginning to panic. He noticed several people were sweating buckets, and others had actually stood to pace. Some younger girls seemed to be crying, the fear was so intense. Of course, Harry noted, few boys wasted time in comforting them. It was odd how the Human Condition could be so prevalent in times like these when everyone was afraid.

Though he was rather surprised he wasn't being swarmed for answers. Of course, just as he thought this, Seamus Finnigan emerged from the crowd toward him, the whole of Gryffindor table looking their way fearfully.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

"Will you ju- I- **_SHUT UP SEAMUS_**!" Harry had to yell to be heard over the boy's insane ranting. With a huff he cast the spell upon his vocal cords again, and said, "WILL YOU ALL CALM DOWN?" Ginny's grip on his arm was tight, and Harry appreciated this as he needed support now, more than ever.

"I'll find out what is going on if everyone will take a deep breath and shut up. Ron, will you open the doors," As the boy complied and went to open the massive Great hall doors, Harry glanced down at the snakes. Rudra was the quickest, and wisest of the two.

"_Rudra, my pet, find Slytherin and ask him what is going on,_" Harry commanded, his eyes sweeping over the Great Hall, aware that his voice was projecting far with help of the spell, even in parseltongue. "_Find out what is happening and return to me at once. It will be dark when you return._" Harry's plan was formed in his mind. "_Quietus."_

When the snake had slithered past Ron –who Harry saw with a pang, had shuttered- the doors slammed shut, save for the right one which was propped open a bit with a large jug. "Everyone, Voldemort doesn't know we're expecting him, thus he doesn't expect the Great Hall to be alight, I suggest everyone puts out the candles, the ceiling will illuminate the room well enough, for now." When nothing happened for quiet a while, Harry grew irritated. Sensing this irritation, Ginny took charge.

"Members of Dumbledore's Army, kindly douse the Hall in darkness," she commanded, and Harry looked gratefully down to her. When a few seconds later, many reluctant faces had put out the candles lighting the room, Harry waved his wand, sending the House Tables to the side of the hall.

"We'll be here all night most likely and in about an hour the fight will begin. I suggest anyone who can conjure or transfigure well enough goes around making sure everyone has a blanket and pillow. We might be awaiting a war brought to the school, but we can still be afforded the chance to rest. Hermione, come here would you?" When the brunette had fought her way through the crowd that was beginning to cast spells with sometimes random effects unrelated to conjuration of blankets, he smiled at her and then said, "instruct them to line their blankets up in rows by years, will you?" When she merely silently nodded, his face steeled.

"Hermione," he said, sharply as she jumped back into consciousness.

"Yes, sorry, Harry."

"Something on your mind, Herm," he asked, and of course, his curiosity was returned by Ginny who stood a few steps away listening while trying to instruct a rather incompetent sixth year on how to transfigure a water goblet into a pillow.

"Oh, no…. well… yes," she admitted, looking into Harry's skeptic face.

"All this just seems, to fantastic, to improbable. Too soon," Harry nodded sympathetically. "I think there's something I need to do." She continued, and his eyes knowingly wandered toward Ron who was fidgeting with conjuring up a pillow.

"Of course, but first, please, Mrs. Head Girl." Her smile seemed to come back, and when she turned away and began shouting instructions he received a peck on his cheek from Ginny for his skilled mastery of their friend. "And that was for what exactly?"

"For being so cute taking charge like that," he blushed violently, and found his lips captured again by the beautiful redheaded girl who was now wrapped around him. "Do you really want to push me away now, Harry?" Ginny's voice stung him, and he claimed her lips once more. The answer was that he didn't, and he knew he'd be going, disappearing again as soon as this was over. He'd probably go back to the Chamber, he'd finally gotten settled into his new home before all this had started, it would really suck to leave it behind that suddenly. At least now he knew had access to the Room of Requirement should the need arise.

When they pulled apart it was to see several people lying down finally some with the blankets well above their heads and others even sitting up watching the windows in a paranoia Harry felt they quiet deserved. "Tired, Gin," he asked, slyly and shocked at his boldness. In understanding she nodded, and watched him conjure a pillow and blanket out of thin air. "Wow, at least the pillow isn't stiff. Now, another question, would you like company," the conjurations hit the ground.

Shyly, her bright red face staring at his, she nodded. His heart was pounding with fear and at the same time love, right. It was love. "Ginny, I think…" the words formed on his lips, but fear took him. If he said those words, he'd never, never be able to live without her. He was surely scared more than he had ever been. "I think we should get some sleep," he said, and allowed the newest pillow to come into existence.

He could tell she had sensed what he was about to say, and did not miss the look of utter disappointment, almost heartbreak that slipped across her face. Ignoring it however, he lie down, motioning for her to join him beneath the blanket. The sadness had faded, replaced by a blush as she complied, and for a moment they both lay calm, awkwardly beside each other. Maleck, who had been growing restless in Rudra's absence finally settled down beside Harry, hissing an alert as the other snake slid up the row toward them.

"_Master, Lord Slytherin has lead a large group into the forest, and sent a large amount off enemies running. They claim a larger one is coming, and have gotten help from a group of Centaurs in the forest. The Centaurs do not look happy to help."_

"Harry, what's going on," Ginny asked, as they were now laying a couple of inches apart, quiet shy.

"I'm trying to find out," he assured her, putting one hand on her arm and the other on Rudra's head. "_Continue, my pet._"

"_They believe it won't take long before a new wave attacks, a larger one. A new group has joined Lords Salazar and Godric and Lady Ravenclaw. Lady Hufflepuff is examining the grounds trying to think of new protections to put on the School. This is all I know."_

Harry took a deep breath, and ran a finger down the snake's spine. "_You've done well my pet, well. Return to your post with Maleck_." When Ginny requested that he tell her what the snake said, he complied. "The four founders are trying their best to hold off Voldemort's forces, he himself hasn't been seen, and the centaurs have joined up with Auror forces," he said, watching Rudra settle down.

"We need to tell everyone," Harry shook his head and opened his mouth.

"Harry Potter," came the clear call from nowhere. It was calm, as if the one calling knew that a horrible event would result by his own statement.

"Harry Potter! The war is on! My heir is here." Harry sat straight up.

Salazar Slytherin had said it. Voldemort was there.

"Harry, what're you doing," Ginny asked, as his hands found the buttons to his oversized shirt and he pulled it off to reveal merely a tank top beneath. He couldn't do with getting caught up in the branches of the forest, for that was where the fighting would surely be. Retrieving his wand he waved it silently, casting several wards upon himself, they wouldn't last long though they might be able to protect him from a few stray spells. "Harry! No!"

Harry blinked, unable to comprehend her command at the moment. He was being fueled, almost like when he'd drank the Liquid Luck potion, and he knew he had to follow his instincts. Harry stood, waved his wand at the doors that flew open and shrunk the bag of potions, pocketing it.. Loudly, not caring who heard, he hissed.

"_Rudra, come with me. Mareck, stay here and guard Ginny. Should anything happen to us, you are to follow her, and protect her from any dangers._" Nodding toward Rudra he took off down the row of students, waking some, and past Ron and Hermione who seemed to be in a heated discussion.

Walking through the Great Hall's doors, he was severely worried it would be the last time. Harry thrust himself out into the night, wand in hand, alert, ready. There were screams from the forest. The battle for Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry had begun.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

War was to the north of him, as Harry sprinted onward. When the forest opened to him, Harry saw that he was quiet alone. "_Come along, Rudra,_" he commanded, nerves and rush bypassing any politeness he would have shown normally to the snake. They kept on for a full three more minutes before coming into a clearing, the Clearing of Blood as it would be known from there on out. Harry's breath slowed as he saw bodies, Death Eaters, Aurors, Centaurs…. Bodies, everywhere! Grawp and Hagrid were absolutely tearing through a group of Death Eaters who had them cornered, and several aurors seemed to be holding back a group of Dementors, who were starting to over power them. Seeing this, Harry burst into action.

"_EXPECTO PATRONUM,_" he cried, slinging his wand outward. And he was not shocked at all, to see that his patronus had changed forms for the first time. No longer could he produce the silver stag that had at one time saved his life and Sirius and Hermione's, but now, what he saw was a beautiful, silver dog that stopped in its charge from his wand to let out a howl before joining the other patronuses in their assault on the large group of Dementors, whose effects were already starting to take a toll on Harry. "_Rudra, attack only the people in masks." _The snake slithered off into the battle.

He had no choice but to cut off his ineffective patronus and gulped, honestly scared, this next spell would take a lot out of him, and he had only learned it last week, it was in effect the same as the one he had just used, only it conjured multiple patroni. "I've got no choice… _EXPECTO PATRONI!" _Several magnificent dogs burst from his wand, four by the looks of it. They ran off to opposite parts of the line and began literally attacking, jumping, clawing the Dementors, sending many flying but just as many kept coming.

Harry spotted the old grizzled Ex-Auror Alastor Moody in the line and ran up to take a spot right beside him, focusing on his patroni. "Harry," Moody called, as his shapeless mist seemed to intensify, he cut the spell and recast it before speaking again, conjuring fourth a bright silver lion. "What're you doing here?"

"I'm here to help save Hogwarts, if you've got a complaint, it'd be good to give it to me another time," Harry replied, dodging a stray Killing Curse with more ease than ever before.

"Good to have you aboard, Harry duck!" Once more Harry had to drop down, finding it hard to focus on maintaining his patroni.

"Alastor, duck," Harry called, eyes widening as he shot back to his feet. Moody did, and a moment later a flash of green flew over the man's head and hit a nearby tree which burst into flame, catching Harry's cloak on fire, which he was forced to cast off with his left hand, throwing it atop an unknowing Death Eater who was dueling Tonks. Looking up at the night sky Harry saw the smoke floating upward toward the full moon. A sudden howl, not from his own any of his own patroni, drew his attention.

"It's Remus," Kingsley called from down the line of Patronus casters. A second group of Death Eaters who Aurors had been fighting were separated quiet suddenly. Kingsley turned to meet part of these, cutting off his patronus—a move Harry wasn't sure was such a good idea, they were losing strength—and hexing them. A werewolf burst through the crowd, swinging his claws randomly, never killing, but cutting and knocking unconscious, and even once, snapping a man's wand in half with his teeth. Harry saw a great inner struggle taking place behind the eyes as the man (not creature,) fought his way toward Harry. 

The werewolf's great claws severed a Death Eater's head. Remus was suddenly surrounded, but miraculously he managed to leap an amazing height straight up into the air as the Death Eater's attacked, spells all missing him. He landed upon another man and continued hacking, slashing, beating, anything to take these Death Eaters out of commission. After several kills the werewolf let out a loud howl and raised his paws to his head, as if in turmoil. Then he would continue fighting, violently. Then… came another werewolf. This one was fighting light members, and so Harry could assume two things, it was both dark, and it had ingested the Wolf's Bane potion so it could fight effectively as well.

"Fenrir Greyback," someone called in recognition, and Harry saw Remus completely crush the head of a Death Eater between two paws before turning toward the beast. The next howl Remus let forth was anguished and hurt Harry's ears. Remus leapt toward Fenrir and pinned him to the ground, slashing, biting and tearing flesh. Harry felt an intense pleasure from the scene and gave a cheer.

Remus was tossed back, against a tree, and Harry saw him spitting up large amounts of skin and flesh before standing to go back on the attack. When Harry turned to look back at Fenrir, the beast was gone. Remus began to howl again, in the most painful way. "What's going on with Remus," Harry yelled to Moody, focusing harder on his patroni which had begun to weaken, but not quiet as quickly as it would have weeks ago.

"His beastly side wants control, he'll bite someone before the night is over if he doesn't calm it down," Moody screamed in reply, breaking his patronus off long enough to hex a fleeing Death Eater. Harry turned, and sent another patronus flying toward Remus who raised a hand in understanding. The Death Eaters, shocked at the thing's sudden appearance jumped back, and Harry ended the spell, allowing himself to begin to fire off more jinxes.

As soon as he had freed Remus who began to rush over toward him, (removing the wand hand of a Death Eater with a lazy swipe of his paw) his gaze sought out Hagrid and Grawp and finally he found the two, each had seized a Death Eater and then flung him into his companions before bowling them all over in a very tackling like gesture which literally shook the ground around them and made Harry lose his balance.

Grawp grabbed a tree by its top and uprooted it. The magnificent giant threw the tree over the line of Dementors and Aurors handling them, and into several Death Eaters behind there, causing many trees to fall on them as well. Harry gave a another cheer before hexing an approaching Death Eater so that his legs gave out and he was trampled under foot of several patronuses and Death Eaters and Dementors.

"Pr-" The werewolf shook his head. "Remus, Remus, are you alright?" The man nodded. Harry looked into the Werewolf's eyes to see tears rolling out of them and down his long pointed nose. A little shakily, he embraced the werewolf, just as his Godfather had done under four years ago. "I'm glad, Remus." When he felt the Werewolf shudder, he looked up. The man looked pained, as if something was killing him.

Remus Lupin pointed into the sky where the Full moon was sinking below the horizon, and Harry understood. Lupin was returning to normal, a low moan, or whine was coming from his ex professor. A nearby spell crashed into the tree Harry was leaning on and he cursed. "Professor, I-" Then he spotted it…. Voldemort was in the forest.

Harry, who had focused more on fighting than anything hadn't wondered why he couldn't find Tom Riddle. Voldemort ran off, away from the clearing, Nagini in tow. "Goodbye Remus, I have to go," he said. "_Come Rudra!_"

As he left the clearing he heard, faintly, Remus John Lupin calling his name.

The forest was thick around him, thicker than he remembered it, making him feel tight and cramped. "_Stay close._" He told the snake behind him, to the east sounds of war filled his ears, but this was not his aim. There came a noise, and his eyes shot to his left, seeing a form in the trees. It was a tall, slender form, and probably the one he wanted. With a snake in tow, he burst through the trees in front of the form opposite of him. _"We'll get him now… Nagini."_

A rage consumed him as he saw the other man with a snake behind him as well, as if everything about them were a mirror. "NOW ITS TIME TO DIE," he yelled, wand pointing at the other man. "GOODBYE POTTER," Tom Riddle yelled.

Harry, who had been off guard when Voldemort burst through the trees, stumbled but managed to gracefully break into a twirl and thrust his wand outward silently, slashing downward. And so the spell of Severus Snape struck Lord Voldemort in the face, and the man, shocked by the boy's daring and apparent prowess in Dark Magic, cast his hands to his face, screeching in fury.

This would only be one of many injuries to Voldemort's face in the battle to come.

Nagini shot forward and leapt at Rudra, fangs bared.

"_Hold your ground Rudra, yes, my pet."_

"_You've trained well, Potter, and your snake has too, but that won't be enough." _

Harry was shocked to hear this voice, coming not from Voldemort, but Nagini. And this wasn't Nagini's voice either; he knew it from his dreams. This was Voldemort's. _He was right, the snake is a Horcrux,_ Harry thought, but not said and thrust his wand once more toward the man, only to find himself forced down to the ground for the first, and definitely not the last time that night.

Nagini had just diverted her path from Rudra and leapt upon Harry, pinning him to the ground with her enormous girth. Voldemort took this to his advantage and ordered the snake off of Harry and approached, digging his boot into the boy's stomach hard. Harry rolled off to the side but Voldemort merely managed to force him back down to the same position, much to Harry's dismay as the snakes resumed their duel.

Harry finally gave a violent kick, shoving the man away, and leapt up, beginning to hex several roots rising from the ground so that they began to grab at the Dark Wizard. Voldemort in turn set them on fire, and Harry was not all that shocked to watch the tree somehow shed those roots, in the way of throwing them toward Voldemort.

Voldemort on the other hand directed them toward Harry who managed to dodge them, much like the charms and spells he had practiced dodging in his Chamber. He drew close and flexed his wand toward Voldemort's face, uttering the Half-Blood Prince's spell once more, but the man dodged easily, and returned with a spell which left Harry's shirt burning. Harry easily put this out with a wave of his wand before feeling a fist sink into his stomach.

Harry backed away from the man again and thought _aguamenti! _A strong and violent surge of water was released from his wand, catching the man in the chest and slamming him back against the tree. Harry pointed his wand at two long, sharp stones on the forest floor which rose and flew toward Voldemort, puncturing his wrists as they bound him to the tree, making the man drop his wand. Harry reached into his pocket and withdrew the Strengthening Solution he had put in there two hours ago. He opened the flask and drained it, wiping the remnants from his mouth before shattering the flask against his opponent's face in hatred.

"_Incarcerous," _Harry said, and ropes flew out, tying his mortal (or immortal) enemy against a tree. Harry pulled back his left fist and slammed it twice into Voldemort's gut, silencing him for the moment. With a violent grin, Harry aimed his wand at Voldemort's chest.

"_Does it hurt, Tommy,"_ he found himself taunting. He drew his face to within an inch of Voldemort's so he could look deep within the man's cold red eyes and see the depth of their evil.

"_You're weak Potter! You can't beat me,"_ Voldemort punctuated this by spitting directly into Harry's face. That was not a good thing to do at all.

"_Silencio,"_ Harry called, anger taking him completely over. He wiped his face off, and as he did his anger only grew.

"_Serpensortia,"_ Harry called, and conjured another long serpent into the area. "_Oppugno__!" _

The newly conjured snake slithered quickly over to the restrained Voldemort and began an attack almost immediately, its fangs sinking into the man-beast's leg, then arm, then face. Voldemort cried out in pain for the first time since he had touched Harry deep underneath the school when trying to secure the Sorcerer's Stone.

It took several minutes of this before Harry became shocked at his own moves as he saw the snake continue its attack, ripping flesh from Voldemort's body. "_Evanesco,"_ Harry said, and the conjured snake disappeared. "_Am I still so weak Riddle?"_

"_Weaker than your mudblood mother."_ All modesty and all control completely and utterly disappeared. He placed his wand tip to Voldemort's left wrist. "_Diffindo!" _Blood began to pour from the stump that had once been Voldemort's hand. His wrist had been cut just a bit above the stone that held it and him to the tree.

"C_onjunctiva!" _Voldemort's eyes swelled in his head and popped free, blood spurting from them. _Now I know why it's illegal to use this outside of a duel, _Harry thought. This counted as a duel, surely. Voldemort again began a screeching in pain, and to Harry's dismay, he found he liked the sounds.

"_Now, Voldy, drink up_," Harry reached into his pocket, retrieved and resized the bag of potions, and taking time to listen to the screeches, shrunk the bag and put it back into his pocket after retrieving a flask of the Draught of the Living Dead. He raised the flask to the man's lips and managed to get a bit down his throat before the flask was knocked away, spilling the contents.

Enraged he broke a second flask upon Voldemort's face and snarled. He'd have to do it another way. He needed assistance. "_Reducto_," he said almost lazily, letting the spell slam into Voldemort's chest and stomach. "_Reducto_," he repeated, breaking Voldemort's left arm. "Now…."

_Expecto Patronum. Internuntio, _he thought, using a spell he had seen Tonks use last year, sending his patronus toward Hagrid, who he suspected was still in the clearing engaged in a battle against the Death Eater's and Dementors. Harry could hear noise from the castle suggesting the good side had been forced to retreat and perhaps set up a line closer to the doors.

"_Did you know, Voldy, your ancestor is here, leading the fight. Salazar himself is fighting you. You know why? Because he's smart, he's looked past this pureblood mania you're feeding your Death Eaters. Why would a Half-blood want to put out Muggles and Muggleborns and Half-bloods like himself? Salazar Slytherin himself is up there protecting it. If I were you, I'd be scared. You won't win. Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff are as we speak destroying your Death Eaters._" His rant was just to draw things out a bit, his pleasure at the pain he was causing the man.

He turned his wand back on the bloody Voldemort who had gone silent. "_They'll come get you and lock you up now. And one day, one way, I'll find you and kill you. I can't do it now… they'll put me to death for it, but one day in whatever prison you end up in, you might just have an accident_." For a moment Voldemort's head drooped, convincing Harry he had forced the man to drink just enough of the Draught of the Living Dead.

Then Harry noticed the man's foot reaching toward his vile wand which had been used to take too many lives. "Oh no you don't, _incendio!" _Voldemort's wand went up in flames, and Harry watched it with gratification. Sure he could probably get another wand easily, but at least it wouldn't be quiet as good of a match. Voldemort's foot flew up and caught him in the chin, and Harry, very much annoyed turned his wand on Voldemort.

"_Diffindo," _the next kick sent Harry's wand flying just as the spell was released. The spell sliced through the ropes binding the man, but thankfully Harry was able to catch the wand. He turned just in time to see a boot flying at his head, and hit the ground. There was a loud squelching sound as Voldemort used his teeth to pull a stone from one wrist and then that hand to pull the last from his ruined stump. 

Moments later Voldemort had a boot pressed deep into Harry's gut, and once again Harry found himself on his back pinned to the ground. Voldemort began to laugh again, violently and evilly, and Harry, exhausted from his spell work, couldn't seem to break free. Voldemort reached down and grabbed Harry's wand with a snarl. Blood continued to pour from his left wrist and the empty chasms where his eyes once were.

"_So Potter, after all this, all this **struggle** and **heartache**_," Voldemort said, putting emphasis on these words, "_the boy who lived is going to die a man, in the midst of an old dirty forest, all alone, with only a snake as his companion_." Voldemort motioned to Rudra who was staring down Nagini. "Any last words, Potter?"

"Screw you," he spat.

"_Wrong_." Voldemort raised Harry's wand high above his head, and opened his mouth. Death awaited Harry in six syllables, and he knew it. He'd be with Dumbledore, Sirius and his parents at least. Harry couldn't fight. Finally through the darkness came another voice.

"RIDDLE!" Harry's eyes turned to Hagrid, running up the path, bow in hand. A ways off in the opposite direction was a large amount of thumping as if something large, Grawp, maybe, was coming. "You filthy beast," Hagrid said, raising his bow. "You know what I do with filthy beasts! I put 'em down!" Voldemort flexed his wand at a spot some feet to the left of Hagrid, not able to see him, and the bow thrust off out of Hagrid's hands as the shaking grew closer nonetheless.

"Perfect," Hagrid said, leaving Harry confused. "I comman' you now! Do not le' tha' man kill Harry!" Harry followed Hagrid's gaze, expecting to see Grawp, tall and towering over them all, but he could be easily tricked by a shot to the eyes like any dragon. But when he looked up, it wasn't Grawp he saw standing over Voldemort and himself. Harry's eyes widened.

"No… bloody… effing… way."


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

The air was filled with a howl, not that of his patronus, nor of a werewolf. Two identical howls followed suit as the giant pall of Fluffy the large, hulking Cerberus slammed downward, taking Voldemort in the chest and throwing him off of Harry. Nagini slid off toward a thicker area of trees, and Harry saw Rudra about to follow. "_No, Rudra, bring me my wand!_" He called, and then turned to Hagrid. "Hagird, kill the other snake," he said pointing toward Nagini.

"Fluffy, sic 'em," Hagrid called, and then in one leap, the Cerberus cleared Harry, Hagrid and Rudra – who had finally returned with the wand- and landed a paw square on Nagini, killing it quiet clearly. Tom Riddle, unconscious on the ground, was unaware, and thus would have no reason to question Harry's knowledge of the need for Nagini to die.

"Hagrid, we have to make Voldemort thing we killed the snake because we were angry, he can't know I had a reason!" Harry said, forcefully, trying to get to his feet. He was shocked when the snake suddenly glowed bright red, and then the light passed, or it seemed. It may have been a trick of the eyes, but Harry could have sworn a soft red glow surrounded the carcass even as he turned toward the snake's former master.

Harry bent down and found the hand of Lord Voldemort, and without a second thought, pocketed it. He'd want proof, as much as it disgusted him to touch something so filthy.

"Wha' was tha' Harry?" Hagrid asked, signaling the Cerberus to calm down. It seemed the three headed dog was completely at Hagrid's control, which was definitely a good thing at this point in time, because normally Harry would feel distinctly uncomfortable with the thing in his presence due to their run in in his first year. However, it didn't affect him because right now, he was more focused on the man Fluffy had just knocked unconscious.

"That, Hagrid, was something that put us one step closer to killing Voldemort." He said, motioning to the man. "He can't know we had a reason for killing the snake, alright Hagrid?"

Rudra slithered up Harry's leg and rested around his neck as the half-giant nodded and Harry bound Voldemort tightly. However, in the process of lifting the man up, he slammed him against another tree branch, waking him. Voldemort began hissing in parseltongue for Nagini. Harry was all too happy to burst his bubble. "_Let's say your snake got caught underfoot, Voldy." _Before he could say anything else, Voldemort erupted in an inhuman-like roar, and a wave of magic threw Harry back into the air. He opened his eyes and saw Fluffy make a lumbering jump, allowing Harry to land on his back.

In a slightly delusional state, Harry hissed out in parseltongue, "_Good doggy." _And as Harry regained his sense of self, and Voldemort was gone. Not that he had dissapparated, because that was impossible, but Harry thought it likely he had reached into his robes pocket and activated a portkey. "_Incarcerous!" _

Harry turned as the spell hit him atop Fluffy's back, and wrapped him in ropes. Remus emerged from the trees looking flabbergasted. "Oh, Harry, I'm sorry, _Evanesco."_ The ropes disappeared. Harry shook it off and looked up.

"Let's get to the castle, Remus, they're still fighting."

"Fluffy, let's get 'em." With the dog, and Harry atop it in the lead, the three made their way back to the school, Harry saw by looking over his shoulder that a battered Remus had been forced back into his transformation as the moon came out from behind a cloud, but that just meant that he would arrive before Hagrid. Grawp was fighting a group of Death Eaters, but the fact of the matter was, Harry was shocked that Voldemort had amassed so many followers, their had to be more than three thousand Death Eaters and Dementors marching on the school, and many less Aurors, Order members, and other fighters of the Light.

"Alright Fluffy, do what you can," Harry called. "_Rudra, hold tight." _The dog, as if sensing what he needed, took to the air and landed amidst a group of Death Eaters, his huge paws scattering them. The two heads on the outside took to snapping at Death Eaters, and sometimes getting them, while the third seemed to rotate between the same, and letting out roars which became louder and louder, deafening Harry.

Harry began letting off a series of Reductor Curses at passing Death Eaters, and amused himself by spotting none other than Lucius Malfoy himself and using a curse so strong that it sent the man flying into his companions, one of which was Peter Pettigrew. "_Incendio!_" Pettigrew caught flame, and continued to screech as none of his fellow Death Eaters took the time to put the fire out.

Harry was not at all saddened when he saw the man fall to the ground, clearly dead and still burning. For good measure he sent a Reductor Curse at him and likely destroyed the man's lungs. He turned his attention back to the battle, occasionally being jarred as the Cerberus took to the air or took off at a run. He cast a spell on a Death Eater who had seemingly broken through the final line and was nearing the doors of the school which were—scarily enough—hanging open.

That was when he noticed something scary. There was no last line in front of the castle. "Fluffy, we need to get into the castle!" The beast gave another roaring bark, and burst into a quick run once again, Death Eaters and Aurors alike clearing a path for them. As they reached the doors, Harry saw that flames were burning in the Great Hall. "Through those doors." Fluffy came in through the open doors and Harry saw what the problem was. Several Death Eaters were trapped on this half of the room, along with some fallen students by a line of fire conjured by the students and fed by the House Tables. At the head of the group of students, Harry was proud to see Hermione and Ron fueling the fire.

Fluffy jumped in at Harry's command, destroying every Death Eater in his path and avoiding the bodies of students who might still be alive. When he was sure his surprise attack had quelled his opponents, Harry turned and motioned toward the students. "Repeat after me, _aguamenti_." Students tried, but even with everyone who was able to trying, the four flaming tables couldn't be put out.

"_Fluvius_!" Godric Gryffindor limped into the room as he cast the spell, and Harry only barely had time to hear Hermione call out for everyone to hold their breath before a large torrent of water flew down on the flaming tables and began to cover the floor.

"_Exsicco,"_ called another voice, and the water disappeared at once. Salazar Slytherin limped in behind Gryffindor. "Well done my old friend."

"And the same to you, of course," Gryffindor replied. It took the students a stunned moment to recover before a cheer rang out. "No time to celebrate, there are still Death Eaters trying to get into the school. Seventh and sixth years, we require your help, if a spell occurs to you that is not one of the three Unforgivables, you are more than welcome to use it."

Harry watched a large number of people clamber over the tables and dash toward the doorway. When he saw Hermione, Ron and Ginny he stopped them. "Fluffy, can you carry three more." The dog gave a confirming bark, causing Ginny, Ron and Hermione to cower. "Ron, Hermione, you remember Fluffy, Ginny, Fluffy here almost ate the three of us alive a few years ago, but he saved my life twice, so I'd say we can trust him, get on. He leaned far down. Fluffy had grown over the last few years. Ron still couldn't reach his hand.

"_Mobilius Corpus_," Ginny called, lifting him onto the dog's back. Harry did the same to Ginny, who then summoned Hermione up onto the beast.

"All of you hold tight. Come on Fluffy, I'll buy you a giant bone after all this," Harry said, and he meant it. The dog bounded from the room after Slytherin and the seventh and sixth years, leaving Gryffindor to handle the remaining students. Harry felt the dog tense up as they reached the outside and called out, "Hold tight!" Ginny's arms encircled him, as they took to the air in a massive leap. Harry saw the two Death Eaters they crushed before they landed.

"That's disgusting," Ginny said shocked when Harry gave a dark laugh.

"I've seen worse. Voldemort's eyes popped from his head, literally. Blind as a bat, he's missing his left hand and wand as well. We had a good battle." Ginny turned to look at Hermione who shared the same look of concern. Harry sounded almost… happy. Of course, the next thing he said shattered that to pieces. "Fluffy, crush him."

The dog took another leap forward. "Die Malfoy!" Draco Malfoy looked up as the Cerberus came flying downward and dodged the paw narrowly. "_Sectumsempra_!" The spell missed, leaving a deep gash in the ground.

"Harry," Hermione scolded.

"It's saved my butt today. This is war Hermione, deal with it." Harry hated to be rough with her, but he was sure he was right, and Ron called out an agreement before setting fire to the robes of the fleeing Malfoy. A blonde woman slid up near him, putting the fire out on the boy.

"Mother," Malfoy called, and Harry turned his gaze on her. Narcissa Malfoy it was indeed.

"_Incarcerous," _Harry called compensating for the movement of the Cerberus beneath him by swinging his wand downward and to the left, ropes bound Narcissa and Draco Malfoy to each other. With a silent flick of his wand he raised them and threw the two onto the back of the dog, "_stupefy, stupefy_."

"Hermione! We'll drop you off at the doors, get them into the Dungeon!" Before Harry could instruct the dog to take him toward the castle doors, someone finally wised up and hurled a hex toward him, which sent him flying from the back of the beast.

"Fluffy, get them somewhere safe, get them into the school!" The dog barked an affirmative and leapt past him, crushing Death Eaters as it landed. Just as Ginny was crying out for Harry to hurry up and come with them, Draco and Narcissa flew off of the back of the Cerberus.

Harry jumped over a fallen Death Eater, dodged a killing curse and levitated the Malfoy's into the air, only to hear a spell, "_Tarantallegra!" _Harry broke the spell and turned just in time to dodge the curse which hit a Death Eater behind him. Lucius Malfoy, covered in blood and favoring his right arm hurled a Reductor Curse at him, which he dodged barely in the shock of the sudden attack. This hit the man's wife and caused the two Malfoy's to break from their bonds and fly off in two different directions before hitting the ground. Harry saw over Malfoy Senior's shoulder that Fluffy had successfully gotten his friends into the school.

"_Cru-"_

"_Protego!" _The shield broke under the spell, and the spell got him just the same, though perhaps a bit diminished.

Harry turned his wand on Lucius and said, "_Crucio!" _The man fell to the ground immediately, pain searing along his spine. "_Crucio," _he repeated stepping on Lucius' wand, breaking it.

Lucius leapt back to his feet and drew a wand from a fallen body. "_Avada Ke-"_

"_**Enough. Retreat! Retreat, we've lost this battle, but we've not lost the war. Retreat my minions." **_

Lucius stopped mid-spell and reached into his robe pocket. Harry went to summon forth the portkey the man was obviously reaching for, but when he did nothing happened. Cursing Malfoy saw his fleeing comrades, including his wife and child who had regained consciousness and gulped. He held his hands up in defeat, and convinced, Harry lowered his wand. Before he could speak, Lucius leapt down and reached into the pocket of the body next to them. "Goodbye Potter." A moment later he and the body were both gone.

Harry could only curse in disgust. Several people were still rounding up Death Eaters, but they seemed to have everything under control.

Harry slept in the Great Hall that night with the other students; the school was still being examined for Death Eaters by the teachers and the Four Founders. Ginny lie under the blanket next to him, and the two had stayed close by each other's side all night after the battle of Hogwarts ended.

The good news was that only two students died in the fight, but the Auror's ranks had been violently diminished. In the wake of the battle McGonagall had announced that Hogwarts was actually making a Cerberus their mascot. This was mainly because Harry and Fluffy had saved McGonagall's life three times in the battle.

The school board had come by and announced the school would not be closed down due to the battle because of the lack of casualties compared to their estimation, they deemed Hogwarts as a safer place than any other building in Europe, which heartened many students that they'd be allowed to stay at Hogwarts. No teachers died thankfully, and Harry had decided to personally account for everyone he knew well. No one he knew in the slightest had died, except for one person.

"I've got to go see his body before they take it, Gin," Harry said, standing.

"Harry, it's just going to hurt."

"You've not seen hurt."

Harry stretched and walked down the isle of students to an area in the back closed off by a conjured curtain. He pushed this aside when he found the opening and slipped through. The people behind the curtain looked up when he came through, and several immediately ordered him back to bed. "Please, professor just let me… say goodbye." When Remus looked over at the Healer and nodded, the man threw his hands up into the air in a gesture at Harry.

"That boy is injured badly and shouldn't be walking, much less going through any emotional trauma." As soon as the man stopped, Harry looked over at Remus.

"I know that, but Harry is a man, and he has a right to say goodbye to his friend." Harry smiled gratefully at Remus and limped past him to a covered bed.

A boy on the other side of the bed pulled back the sheet and Harry found that a lump caught in his throat as he surveyed the face, normally so full of joy, now looking terribly afraid. Why hadn't Harry gotten to the Great Hall just a little bit quicker?

_This isn't right… what gives you the right… what? You scum… we both had problems as children, but you don't see me going around killing people. Oh, but you will, and it will be you, you sad excuse for a human being. I'll make you pay for this, I swear it. I'll make you pay, _

"**I'll tear you limb from limb!" **

"Harry, calm down," Remus commanded, "You're scaring everybody."

Harry felt himself beginning to shake as he looked down upon the body in front of him, freshly scarred, and filthy to boot. Harry rustled blonde hair with a smile, he looked over the gaunt cheeks almost fondly, and said, "He and I… we're so much alike… Voldemort and myself. But I didn't choose to go about killing people because no body gave a damn when I was a child, so why did he? What in that measly brain of his gives makes him think he has the right to take the life of another who has done nothing wrong, ever?" He fought down the lump in his throat.

"Harry calm down," said the boy opposite him at the bed.

And then Harry did something he promised himself he wouldn't do, he had promised it last year at Dumbledore's funeral too. As he lay his hand slowly upon Dennis Creevey's forehead and burst into tears. "I'm sorry Dennis, looks like I'm a failure after all."

"No you're not Harry, you've been awarded Order of Merlin first class for fighting against Voldemort personally, why should you think yourself a failure?" Harry closed his eyes and merely continued to weep. _I am so. Damn. Weak._

When next he was able to open his eyes Harry looked down at the boy's face sadly. "I couldn't catch Voldemort, I couldn't catch any of the Malfoys, hell I couldn't even protect my friends. If it weren't for that Cerberus of Hagrid's what might've happened to Ron and Hermione and… and Ginny."

"We wouldn't have blamed you for any of it, Harry." Ginny was standing in the curtain, and behind her he could see Hermione and Ron returning to the sleeping bags.

"Gin… I mean…look at him there, he's usually laughing, running around with Collin, annoying me, making me laugh, or hanging out with you. How does he go from that, to this so quickly?" Collin, who sat on the other side of the bed cracked a small smile. "I think… I think I've missed Hogwarts," Harry said softly, with a look of dawning comprehension on his face.

"Then come back, Harry."

"I can't Gin, I've got my reasons." Harry turned away from her and back to the body on the bed. He rolled the blanket down farther and revealed the boy's battered body. Silently he waved his wand and replaced dirty filthy blood clothes with a shirt and pair of pants of pure white, then got rid of all the filth on the boy's body, healing several cuts on it. "Dennis died a hero; and he deserves to look the part."

Harry walked around the bed, put his hand on Collin's shoulder and gave a smile, "get some sleep." He turned back to McGonagall, "I'm not accepting the Order of Merlin, I insist on nominating Dennis, and if it's necessary I'll personally pursue it to my death," _which might not be that far away, _he added silently.

"Harry, is it that you don't want to be rewarded or recognized at all," Remus asked.

"Yes, there are many who deserve to be rewarded much more. You don't know Remus… I've done things to Voldemort today that I never want to do again to anyone, not even him and worst of all, I loved it, every second of it, and I'd do it all again in an instant. I actually laughed and smiled as the potion flask I tried to get him to drink from shattered and cut his skin, as the snake I conjured ripped his skin off. Not either of these two," Harry explained to everyone, motioning toward Rudra and Maleck at his feet.

Harry walked toward Ginny and smiled at her comfortingly, he could see tears welling up in her eyes to match his. "Collin, Mr. and Mrs. Creevey, I'm more sorry than you can ever imagine for your loss. Voldemort has destroyed another family, but he's sure as**_ hell_** not going to get away with it, I'll make him pay for every life he's taken, even if I die doing." The redhead leapt forward, wrapping her arms around him, and Harry returned the hug, unable to help burying his head in the crook of her neck, crying.

_So weak._

It took him several moments to regain his composure.

"Go on to bed then Harry." As soon as Ginny let go of him, he lead her from behind the curtains and came face to face with several, most notable of the bunch was Neville Longbottom, sporting cuts all over his face.

"Neville, I've got a question."

Neville looked up. "You killed **Rodolphus Lestrange tonight." **

**Nevile nodded. **

**"Did it help?" **

**When the boy shook his head no, Harry nodded as if it was expected. **

**"Did it feel good?" Again Neville shook his head no. **

**Harry had to smile, "Good, I think that's the way it's meant to be, because if it felt good to kill, we would be just as bad as Him." **


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: You know what I'm gonna say, right?

* * *

He could feel the rise and fall of her chest against his as he held her close, and in experimentation he whispered her name. When he received no answer he unwrapped his arms from around her, and scooted away, filling the spot he had just been in with his pillow. "_Rudra… Maleck, come." _

With every painful step, Harry slipped from the Great Hall while doing his best to control his emotions. The lump was already rising in his throat but he fought it down. Breaking down once a day was more than enough. Rudra and Maleck whispered to him as he walked, trying to calm him, console him, but he couldn't focus on what they were saying much less actually calm down at all.

When he reached the doors to the Great Hall, he motioned the snakes toward him. They slid up his legs toward his shoulders. As he looked down at the doors, he wasn't sure if what he was doing was what he wanted to. _It's what I need to do. _ "_Intactus,"_ whispered Harry, and himself and the snakes were able to walk through the closed doors.

"Intangibility, it's a useful thing." Harry's eyes snapped up to see Godric Gryffindor, cane in hand. "Are you leaving then?" Harry could only nod.

"Come." Harry took the command in stride as the snakes slid off of him and slithered on ahead. They walked down the halls a long while, taking staircase after staircase until they ended up predictably in front of the door to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, where Godric motioned him in.

Harry opened the door and saw—not so predictably— Salazar Slytherin. "_Did you think we'd not check up on you, child,"_ the man asked in parseltongue. "We're coming with you, we'll show you what we can, Godric and I. When you next have to come out of that chamber you'll be stronger than any of your friends will even dream of being. If you'd rather not though, I'm almost sure I can understand."

Harry looked between the two ancient men. "You'll teach me?"

"And I'll teach your snakes as well, you have no idea the use they could be if you were attacked."

Harry turned his back on Godric for a second to look at Salazar and licked his lips deep in thought. "Alright."

"Then, _open," _exclaimed Salazar. Godric, the only one present that had not witnessed this before stepped back to watch the whole process of the opening of the chamber.

"Magnificent," Godric said when the process had finished.

"After you, Mr. Potter." Without a second thought, Harry ran forward, and leapt, much to the surprise of the two Founders. Slytherin called out in warning.

When no thud came, Slytherin leapt. Instead of feeling an increase in speed, he was suddenly slowed, and landed on a lush thick patch of grass. "Welcome home Lord Slytherin."

"_I see you've made some additions."_

"A few, sir."

"Come on down Godric."

Harry glanced toward the mouth chamber, where the two Founders had just sealed the door by way of Slytherin commanding his statue to be silent. Tomorrow Harry would begin being taught by two of the greatest wizards of all time, but for tonight…. Harry walked over to his table and checked to make sure the potion was still going well.

"_Master," _Rudra hissed almost an hour later as Harry still paced up and down the long walkway between the entrance to the Source of Requirement and the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets itself. "_Master… are you alright?" _

Harry had been silently working up steam, and he felt on the verge of exploding. Without another thought he flicked his wand twice in rapid succession. The first conjured an easily broken dummy which the second broke easily with a well placed Reductor Curse. "I have to sleep, have to sleep." Harry walked over to his cot, and lay down under the covers. He raised his own wand and pointed it toward himself. "_Stupefy."_

And so came blackness.

* * *

"Were you that desperate," a voice asked as Harry opened his eyes and shot straight up in his cot. A wave of energy ran throughout him. "Sorry about that, "said the same voice, "my _reenervate _must have had some extra kick in it." Godric Gryffindor had awoken him from his forced impression of sleep.

"It's morning," Harry asked standing. When the man nodded, Harry hastily doused his face in water. "Alright, I'm ready."

"Slow down, Mr. Potter," Lord Slytherin said from behind Gryffindor. "Here's how today will go, Godric will take you into the Room of Requirement through the Source, and there you will train against some conjured and bewitched dummies. They'll be as violent as any of the real Death Eaters, and of course you'll be in no real danger."

Harry looked over at Godric, nodding. "First, your House Elf brought us all breakfast, and you, this," he handed Harry a letter.

"I'll open it tonight, after we're done."

* * *

"Die, Potter!" Voldemort and Harry were engaged a duel, but it looked like someone decided to interrupt. Behind Voldemort stood the tall and looming Severus Snape. Harry's lip curled upward and he leapt forward, swinging his fists wildly at Snape, breaking his jaw surprisingly easily. He flexed his wand hand toward Voldemort who easily dodged the spell he sent out, and returned with the Cruciatus curse.

Harry twirled on the spot, apparating to the far edge of Hogsmeade, though that covered little ground as he was more or less there already. A bright green flash of light flew past his head and he disappeared down the lane. As he ran, he began summoning. The broom appeared on the horizon at last, and he grabbed it from mid air where it hung, pulling himself up and onto it before shooting off toward the school. Another flash of green narrowly missed him, and he cursed.

There it was, the whole of Voldemort's forces in front of him, and there in the way of the doors to Hogwarts stood the only survivors of the attack, Ginny, Ron, Neville, Collin and Hermione stood back to back, surrounded by Death Eaters. "Ginny," Harry called in anguish, dive-bombing an attacking Death Eater while hexing with every violent hex that came to his mind. Lucius Malfoy and Draco Malfoy fell to the ground, Draco's arm broken and Lucius' face badly disfigured. Harry leapt off of the Firebolt, landing directly in front of a curse thrown at Ginny.

"_Protego!" _The curse rebound off of his shield and hit the Death Eater in the face, Harry was satisfied to see that it had been '_Tarantellegra_.' "I won't let anything happen to any of them!" Harry leapt forward into the crowd, hexing, cursing, jinxing at will until he came face to face with Pettigrew. _I was sure I'd killed him! _Pettigrew's next spell sent Harry flying backwards; he crashed into Ron and hit the ground.

"_Avada Kedavra,_" called a Death Eater. Harry looked up just in time to see the spell take Ginny in the chest, and felt an overwhelming pain well up in his throat.

"Nooooooo! Ginny! NO!" Harry turned, all pretense of calmness abandoned and released a hailstorm of Killing Curses into the crowd of Death Eaters.

"_Avada Kedavra! Avada Kedavra! _Oh no you don't Malfoy, _Avada Kedavra! _How's it feeling? _Avada Kedavra! Avada Kedavra!" _When someone finally disarmed him, Harry didn't even slow down, he ran forward, stomped on the face of a fallen Death Eater, caving in his skull. He retrieved the Death Eater's wand and twirled on his disarmer. "_Avada Kedavra, _you scum!"

"_Avada Kedavra!" _ Harry hadn't uttered THIS spell. He turned just in time to see the flash of green before his face and screamed. Suddenly the spell stopped in its tracks, and the bodies of the Death Eaters around him disappeared, and then so did Ron, Ginny, Hermione, Neville and Collin. When Harry next blinked he was standing outside of Hogwarts alone.

"You see now?" Harry turned to his right quickly, as relief, hatred, and fear washed over him. It was all a simulation. "You let your emotions take control when your young friend was murdered," Godric Gryffindor said, shaking his head. He seemed to be oblivious to the fact that Harry had begun throwing Reductor curses at the wall of the simulated Hogwarts in anger. "

You even used an Unforgivable curse several times. Now, it is my knowledge that there is a law that if someone attempts to use an Unforgivable on you, you're able to do the same to him, but you mustn't fall back on it as quickly as you did, or you'll find yourself as bad as him."

Harry was listening, though he was also taking out his complete and utter rage on the walls still. "I know, I know, but… he killed Gin. He killed her… and I had to kill him. To destroy him. I had to make the filthy traitor to humanity pay."

"That is the most intelligent thing I've heard you say, 'traitor to humanity.' It is an apt summarization of just what Death Eaters seem to be. I believe that that's enough for today."

Harry groaned and let loose one final hex as the castle disappeared and a door appeared.

* * *

"The detector has been going off violently for nearly five hours, but just ten minutes ago, it increased in pitch, and no matter what I did, neither myself or any of you were able to spot anyone using an Unforgivable Curse, but I want you all to be on the lookout, I'm going to announce this to the students in the morning."

The Deputy Headmaster and Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor Remus Lupin looked somewhat nervous. "Should we really Minerva?"

"I think it's what Albus would have done, all things considered, and we know several students noticed the alarm when they were in this hallway, it punctured the silence wards Albus himself put up."

"Then so be it," Professor Slughorn said.

* * *

Harry sat down at his newly expanded table, Salazar to his right and Godric his left. They ate in silence. As he ate, Harry read the letter he had received this morning.

_Harry,_

_I'm really worried about you, so I decided to write this and threaten Kreacher to bring it to you or else. Harry, why didn't you even say goodbye to her? My sister woke up sobbing when she realized you weren't there. We're going to have to have a talk soon mate, because I'm not sure how bad she's going to get with you having been here, and then leaving again. _

_What are you thinking, Harry? Where are you now?_

_Ron

* * *

_

_Ginny and Ronald Weasley were wearing muggle clothing. That's right. Muggle clothing. And convincingly too, thanks to the scrutinizing eye of Hermione Granger. Ginny stopped, and ran a hand through her hair softly on the doorstep. Two of the four people who lived in the house were gone, and had passed the Weasleys by the roadside. Ginny knocked, none to softly. _

_When the door opened, a great, double wide load of a boy stood in the doorway. His eyes were rather small and piggish as he took a moment to examine them. "Hello?" He asked, sounding as if he was irritated, as if he had been interrupted from something important. Ron noted the bread crumbs on his shirt. Eating the food Harry himself had cooked, nasty filthy pig. Harry probably had slaved away over the stove and toaster since the early hours of the morning and not eaten a thing himself. It was the sick sort of thing the Dursley's would do, judging by the way Harry spoke of the filth. _

"_You know who we are." Ginny asked softly. She was calm, as if she was addressing a long lost friend; however the inquisitive way her eyes shot over her fingernails was Ron's only clue that she too was incredibly disgusted with this guy. When the boy indicated clearly that not only did he not know, he didn't care, Ron smiled. _

"_Well, now you will." And the next thing Dudley Dursley saw was a fist, flying toward his face before he was flat on his back. "We're the Weasleys, and you just met my fist," Ron finished, turning away from the lug and motioning his sister into the house. He followed soon after. They went up the stairs a little carefully, trying their best not to alert Harry, who had probably started setting wards around his room as soon as midnight hit._

_Sure enough as they came clear, they heard a series of spells flying from the room above. It seemed as if he was reducing something's size. "That's good, very good. All the books from Flourish and Blotts," Harry was muttering to himself. Moments later they heard a large wrenching sound, like a floorboard being ripped up._

_As they reached his room, Ginny looked through the crack in the door to see what looked like a spider come up from a hole in the ground, onto Harry's hand. Moments later the boy cursed and slammed the spider across the room. "**Immobulus!**" The spider stopped an inch from the wall that would have killed him had he collided into it. "I could kill you," Harry said, vaguely, "and not think twice about it, oh yes, you tiny little beast."_

_Ginny was sure the look on her face matched Ron's as they listened and watched a look of disbelief. "But of course, there is more than enough death in this world, death I've caused of my own accord… so for now, one lucky, insignificant, little arachnid lives." Harry waved his wand and the spider lowered to the ground where it stood, dazed for a moment, then scurried off up the wall that had almost been its very bane.  
_

_Ginny reached out to open the door, but Ron stopped her. Instead, he reached for it, and was not shocked when he heard Harry's voice, even though the boy, now a man had resumed the task of examining the floor, bent over the hole. "Don't touch that, I hit it with a curse as soon as midnight came, in case a Death Eater found courage to come for me. You found that display disturbing, didn't you? It was all for you, both of you. All of you, to let you all know that to push someone away, you truly must care to do it."_

_"I went to the Ministry earlier this morning," Harry said, flexing his wand at the door. A flash of light enveloped the knob, dispelling the ward. He took a final sweep of the room. "I loved the wedding, it was nice," he continued. It was a random comment, completely unrelated to the one before it. "Yes, it's all packed," the raven haired boy uttered as the two redheads entered the room. Harry however reached over to his bed and pulled the Invisibility Cloak off of it. "Hedwig's at the burrow," Harry muttered vaguely. "Take care of her, will you? I got my Apparation license." He yawned softly, and threw the cloak over himself with a grace._

_"Harry, no," Harry smiled through the cloak at the girl. _

"_Until we meet again, dear Master and Mistress Weasley," a bit of the handle of Harry's trunk disappeared as he clutched it in the cloak. Moments later, it too was gone with a loud, resonating SNAP!_

_"Harry," Ginny said, holding a hand out silently to the darkness. Though her eyes were closed, Ron was sure she was crying. "We've come to take you home." _

"_Come on, Gin." Ron said, taking hold of her hand and placing it on his arm. "Let's go home, and forget this ever happened."_

_"Never." With a pop equally loud, the two Weasleys left Number Four, just like the boy before them, for the final time._

Ginny sat up in tears, waking the whole dormitory with her sobs.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I don't own it.

Author's note: This is a full three months after the last chapter, you'll find a very different Harry.

* * *

"I think you're ready for your final test, Harry," Godric said, his wand drawn. They were in the Room of Requirement which was currently in the form of the Great Hall, filled with students. "And we have to do it quick?"

"What, why," Harry asked, suspicious. This man was _never _in a rush when it came to Harry's training, and this, the last day of his training with the two founders should have been most important to the man.

"You'll see," Godric said, morosely.

"Fine, then what's my final test?"

"Us," Salazar replied. The world around Harry started up and the people dissappeared, before Godric flicked his wand toward Harry, catching him in the gut with a Reductor Curse.

"_GO! Rudra, go for Salazar, Maleck, let's back Godric into the corner." _

"Careful friend, he's got a plan," Salazar warned Gryffindor. Rudra shot off at an incredible speed toward Salazar and Harry dashed toward Godric, hexing goblets on tables to pelt themselves at him.

_Augamenti! _A jet of water sprayed Godric directly in the eyes, and Harry gave a grunt of pain and closed his eyes in concentration. Moments later, Harry was a long, powerful cobra, almost a mix between Rudra and Maleck. Together he and Maleck took off at Godric, and Harry began to hiss out orders to Maleck. His plan had worked, Salazar was engaged in battle with Rudra and thus was unable to translate his orders for Godric, securing his victory.

"_Now, do it now!" _Harry slithered toward Godric as Maleck faked as if to bite the man, and wrapped himself around Gryffindor's feet, causing the man to fall on his friend. In the chaos that followed, Harry shifted to his human form and used spell Godric had used.

"_Fluvius!" _Before the water could hit he cast the bubble-head charm on himself and the snakes, surrounding them completely in the bubble of air. A torrent of water fell, immediately filling the room.

* * *

Almost a full hour later, Godric brought his elbow forward, which sent Harry flying into the closest wall. Harry had been worn out from the first time he'd gone out of his newly acquired Animagus transformation, which he knew he had only achieved this quickly with the help of Salazar himself. He took a deep tired breath. "Good… you've passed."

Harry was going to protest that he'd lost as Salazar pulled him to his feet, but then realized that he'd had no chance of beating them from the beginning. When the door out of the Room appeared, Harry and the snakes were the first two out of it. "I brought this from your personal store," Godric said, handing a sack to Harry after using a drying spell on the lot of them. Harry opened the sack and saw almost every potion he had ever created in it.

"You'll need them."

"What does that mean," he asked, somewhat annoyed. Harry rooted around in the sack until he managed to find and down a Strengthening Solution which immediately took effect.

Salazar turned and pointed down the hall way to the unmarked door they had originally entered. "Go, it's time to make another appearance."

"Why?"

"Do we have to spell it out for you, Riddle is on his way."

Harry's eyes widened and he hissed for Rudra and Maleck to follow him before taking off. He threw open the door, slid into the pure white room, the snakes and the Founders in his wake. "Give me a fireplace," Harry commanded the room, and it complied.

* * *

"Hey!" McGonagall looked down at the fireplace in her office, shocked.

"Harry?" Harry nodded, and then came through, Rudra, Maleck, and two of the Founders in tow. "What is it, is He coming back?"

"Yes," Salazar said in answer when Harry found he couldn't. "And coincidently, you've had your people tracking bad leads; we've caused your censors to go off these several months during training sessions. Now, this army will be bigger than the last, every Inferi he has, every Death Eater, Dementor and creature he has on his side will be here within the hour."

Harry raised his wand and said aloud, "_Expecto Patronum. Internuntio." _He repeated this several times. "I've sent a message to all the teachers, to the Gryffindor House, Ravenclaw House and Hufflepuff House, and Slytherin House, though who know how many will answer my call. I just said that Voldemort was coming and that any Sixth Years and above who can need to get ready to fight and first get everyone into the Great Hall."

* * *

Harry turned and hexed the ears off of the nearest Death Eater, when a blast shook the ground so hard he stopped in his steps. His eyes wide, Harry watched as Voldemort himself parted the crowd of Death Eaters. He was still no longer blind, and he had re-grown his hand, but most annoying to Harry, he had a wand.

"Make room, make room you fools." A circle of Death Eaters formed around Voldemort, and Harry broke through the ring and stared the man down. If he were to take him down now, to kill him, he'd come back, again, he'd do it. _ But I'd have time… time to hunt down his Horcruxes…_ he raised his wand toward Tom Riddle. This man was filth, a filthy beast as Hagrid said…. As anger grew inside of him, Harry silently blasted a huge path through the Death Eaters.

He would have to kill this man, completely. But for now, he had could do this without too much on his conscious, right? 'Killing' this man would really be like destroying an Inferi; there would be no soul damaged. For the Inferi it was because their soul was gone, for Voldemort, it was because the soul was immortal.

"Fight me Potter, I'm going to make you pay for what you did to me, you'll never have the chance to take me again." Harry saw people fighting their way through the Death Eaters toward him, but he knew it would take a long time for anyone to reach him as the remaining Death Eaters filled in the gap he had just made.

"Alright Tommy, but not here," he reached into his pocket and withdrew a portkey Slytherin had made him before the battle. "Grab hold and we'll fight alone, in a place you know well. The Chamber of Secrets." Voldemort's eyes widened and he complied. The words 'The Chamber of Secrets' had triggered the portkey, and the two of them disappeared from the battle grounds. Harry landed atop his own cot which broke through under the very sudden addition of his weight.

As soon as he regained his balance, he sent a well placed, '_Reducto_.' This hit Voldemort in his gut and slammed him against one of the walls. Voldemort rebounded with a spell that caught Harry's cauldron and sent it flying forward, slamming into Hary's back and spilling the brewing Felix Felicis on him. "I've been brewing that for months you," with an angry cry, Harry jinxed the remains of his cot to wrap itself around Voldemort.

The Dark Lord destroyed this rather simply, and Harry began to grow angrier. He'd been putting so much work into that potion. Harry raised a large stone wall around the platform leading to the Mouth Chamber, and as soon as he was sure he had sealed off his important stuff on the platform, he turned and gave a rather evil smile. "_Fluvius!" _Down came a waterfall, dousing Harry and Voldemort with water. As soon as he'd vanished the water, he pointed his wand at Voldemort, and transfigured the water soaked into the man's clothes into something else that Voldemort wouldn't be that familiar with.

Kerosene.

When Voldemort realized that whatever spell Harry had just cast hadn't done any noticeable damage, he transfigured the remains of the cot into a large serpent. When it immediately took a lung at Harry, he vanished it with a skill he hadn't ahd last time he'd faced Voldemort. "You've improved Potter."

"I've been training with the best, Tommy boy."

"_Crucio," _Voldemort's spell hit, catching Harry by surprise. He fell to the ground in pain, screeching, crying out. When the spell had been lifted Harry was able to use the very last second before Voldemort recast the spell to trip the man up.

With his anger still burning through him, Harry stepped down on Voldemort's gut, "this one is for whatever your memory did to Ginny down here." And with a grin, Harry cast a simple Bat-Boogie hex on the man, using that moment to regain his composure.

"Hey, Voldy," Harry taunted, backing away from the man. Voldemort sent a blind Reductor Curse toward him in reply. "Burn." _Incendio,_ he thought, and watched with an extreme pleasure as Voldemort's robes literally burst into flame. Burning, Voldemort began firing off killing curses at random, one of which barely missed Harry. He used one of his favorite new spells taught to him by Slytherin to catch Voldemort in the gut with a blast of wind, which also put out the flames.

Again Voldemort slammed into the wall, but this time, something very different was happening. Harry thrust his wand forward almost immediately after and released several dormant spells he and Godric had set around the room. A long tongue shot from two serpent statues and wrapped themselves around Voldemort.

_What? How, how could a mere mudblood have tricked me like this, _Voldemort thought as soon as he realized what was going on. Rudra and Maleck slithered toward Harry and Voldemort and each sank their fangs into his ankles. "_Good work, Rudra, Maleck, bring me what I need." _

Voldemort began muttering curse after curse, trying to break his stone binding, but to no avail. The Founders themselves had set this trap up. "_Alright, Voldie," _hissed Harry as he took a flask of potion from the mouths of either snake. He read the labels quickly. With a flick of Harry's wand Voldemort felt his mouth forced open. Harry tipped a vial down the man's throat, and then a second.

"_What is this?" _Voldemort sputtered.

"Veritaserum and a forgetfulness potion. You won't remember this conversation in ten minutes. Now, where are you hiding Hufflepuff's cup?" It was risky, but the Forgetfulness Potion had been brewed so that Voldemort wouldn't remember Harry knew specifically. He had to do this quickly.

"In the old Muggle Orphanage," Voldemort spat out violently.

"The object of Ravenclaw's that you stole?"

"It's here, at Hogwarts," the man replied, struggling more violently than ever at his binds.

"Why didn't you protect yourself against Veritaserum?"

"I didn't expect you could be so intelligent, you filth." Harry growled.

"You're the filth. Name off all of them."

"What?"

"The Horcruxes."

Voldemort bit down on his bottom lip, but finally opened his mouth and began sprouting out his deepest, darkest secrets.

"Marvolo's ring, my old diary, Slytherin's locket, Hufflepuff's cup, Ravenclaw's journal, and Nagini."

Harry gave a triumphant 'ha.'

"Well how does it make you feel to know the ring is gone, the journal is gone, and so is Nagini?"

After several long moments of silence, he answered. "Like I need to murder you now Potter!"

"The locket, it was stolen before I could get to it, someone has it hidden, when I find it, I'll destroy it too." Harry strode over to his trunk on the table and withdrew the ring, putting it securely on his finger.

"Where do you ha-"

Then Harry gave a gasp as he saw the man double over and puke, signaling that the Forgetfulness Potion had taken effect. He wouldn't remember that Harry knew about the Horcruxes. Anger raged through Harry, it had been a waste, there was still one loose! Angrily he strode over to Voldemort and said, "Where is your hideout?"

"Why would I tell you, Potter? What have you done, where are we? I will have your head for this!" Harry silenced the now defenseless Wizard. The man had expelled the Veritaserum… which meant that Harry now had no use for him, he had to get him out of the Chamber, fast.

Harry turned toward the man. He could do something else. He brought his wand down level with Tom Riddle's throat. He could kill the man. Couldn't he?

Tears, tears of all things came out of his eyes as he made up his mind. Murder… he was thinking of committing murder. _You've committed murder before, if truth be told, when you were only a year old,_ the voice in the back of his head prodded him. "Shut up," he yelled, raising his hand to clutch his ears. "I have no choice, I have to do this, _Sectusempra_," he yelled, and the flesh of Voldemort's throat was cut clean through.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I don't own it.

* * *

Rudra let out a hiss of shock, and at once, a semi-familiar scene met Harry's eyes, from the empty chasm that had once held the head of Tom Marvolo "Voldemort" Riddle, shot what looked like a haze of thick black smoke, only it had a face etched into it. Tears rolled freely from his eyes, shock, disgust, hatred and fear seized Harry as he saw the face on the spirit contort in pain before shooting up through the sky.

"KREACHER," he called, wildly, and the house-elf arrived. "Take it, take the body up there Kreacher, to the Headmistress," he said seizing the elf's arm. " Now Kreacher!" The House elf looked wildly around, and seized Riddle's hand and disappeared. Moments later Harry stumbled to his cot, and Rudra and Maleck slithered off. Harry looked through the tears around the Chamber of Secrets, and he collapsed onto his cot, eyes closed against tears he never thought he'd shed freely.

After a minute, Kreacher returned to the Chamber, and Harry turned his gaze on him, then turned it away. "Kre-kreacher, re-return to the kitchen… thank you," but there was no crack or pop of dissaparation.

"Master, should Kr-" The house elf began with a new, different emotion in his voice.

"Go, Kreacher, please." When the creature obeyed its master, Harry felt all strength leave him, and didn't care anymore about cleaning the blood from his body or the floor. He deserved it; he was a vile, filthy murderer. He was no better than Voldemort! No better.

"EVIL," he called, and his echo was rebounded to him off of the walls many times over, as if a score of himself were agreeing with him at the top of their lungs. Time, need, feeling drained away from his body, and he collapsed into a form of sleep, a darkness, lack of thought that he embraced gratefully. Days passed, he was sure, he lay on the cot, and got off of it only to relieve himself, he spoke only to deny food and tell Kreacher to leave. Tears flowed from his eyes when on the eighth day Kreacher returned and using his brand of magic, forced Harry to sit up.

"Master must eat," Harry's wand slipped out of his cot and down onto the ground. "Master will eat," Kreacher insisted, holding out the plate to him. Here, Harry, his eyes unfocused, his body weak, smelled the food and turned away from Kreacher. He stood, took a few shaky steps, and wretched harshly. He had nothing to expel from his body, save for a bit of stomach fluid.

"LEAVE KREACHER! _Evanesco!_" The little bit of fluid that had escaped vanished, just as the little, slightly grimy house elf did. Little did Harry know; that just as the house elf known as Kreacher was obeying this order, he was plotting and putting into motion his plans to disobey another.

* * *

Ginny was shook awake, and awoke to the large, round eyes of Dobby the house-elf. "Dobby," She asked, shakily. Oh the dream, the dream… yes, she'd had it again. The creature backed away from her and gestured to his companion, a grimy, smaller house elf holding a tray in one hand laden with two plates and empty goblets. "What is it, Kreacher?"

His voice was uncharacteristically sad, almost sympathetic. He didn't spew out insults or curse words, or call her a blood traitor. He didn't even glare daggers at her, as was customarily part of his usual greeting.

"Master needs your help," Kreacher said softly. "Master will die without it." Then he turned and moved to the girl's side, taking her hand. Only a brief moment later, they were gone, uncharacteristically silently.

* * *

When she took in her surroundings, everything seemed to drain from her. There was not an inch of this chamber that she stood in that she didn't remember clearly as if her last visit had been just yesterday instead of roughly four years ago. "Kreacher, is this…."

"The Chamber of Secrets, Master's home." The redhead turned to the withered house elf who held a tray aloft. She took it in understanding and turned. The long, cement pathway over water that lead to the statue of the head of Slytherin was obscured by a small, rather weak looking cot, but it was no problem to step around. A large, dark green armchair sat in the entrance to the mouth of Slytherin, lit by two torches and two candles. Suddenly it felt quiet cold, and a wind blew past her. The torches, save for those beside the chair, that illuminated the Chamber went out, and she was momentarily cast into darkness.

"Return to the Kitchens, Kreacher," spoke Harry Potter from off in the dark, cool, damp distance. They were in the CHAMBER. Ginny's throat constricted, and unable to breathe properly, she had to be steadied by the house-elf in his first act of real kindness. She didn't mention this fact. They continued along the path, silently, just as silent and careful as she and Ron had been ascending the steps of Privet Drive. As she approached, one of the floating candles descended behind the back of the chair so that she could no longer see it.

When she finally reached the back of the chair, she saw a curious sight. Harry was staring, transfixed into the flame of the candle in front of him. In his right hand was an open copy of Advanced Potions Making, and Harry seemed blissfully unaware of its presence, or for that matter, the same of the two beings behind him. He was adjusting the candle's position with his left hand, but found it uncomfortable and moved to use his right hand, when finally he noticed the book, and on it, Ginny's shadow.

Harry shook his head hard. A figment of his imagination, there was no way she could be behind him. Anger surged through him as he lifted the book to the flame. The flame bent away from the pages with the rush of air the small movement made. "Harry!" Still he didn't accept her presence. "You'll catch it on fire!"

"It won't burn, see," he said to what he thought of as a figment. "It won't burn. It knows it's _my _book." And inevitably the flame turned back to the pages, and Ginny watched as the corner of several papers caught flame. Immediately Harry's eyes stuck to the flames. Ginny reached over the boy's shoulder and took the book, slamming it shut before real damage could befall it and putting out the flames.

Harry's gaze didn't rise from his hands which seemed withered, dull. He merely stared at them, as if in disbelief. "Burn," he muttered darkly into the silence. "Burnt. Burns for eternity." Harry continued this for several minutes before Ginny cast the book down, onto the platform and sat the tray down beside it. She walked around to face Harry and knocked the floating candle away from the boy. Her hand found the space between his chin and his neck, skinny neck, like everything about him. Dangerously skinny. She titled his head upward so she could examine his face. Predictably there were dark circles beneath dull, plain, empty, but bloodshot eyes.

With a wave of her wand, the tray had floated over and landed in Harry's lap. "Eat," she commanded, grabbing a piece of bacon from one of the plates and shoving it beneath his nose.

"Don't want to-"

"Yes you do."

"Not hu-"

"Yes you are." "Don't wa-"

"Do too."

"Don't need f-"

"YES YOU DO!"

Harry was shocked when she slapped him hard across the face. She was real. No denying it. That could only mean that…. "KREACHER," Harry yelled, turning toward the house elf.

"Master can punish me later… Master needed help."

"Back to the kitchens," Harry said, darkly, and the house-elf complied, perhaps a bit afraid of his master. He opened his mouth to speak again and promptly got a piece of bacon shoved in it.

"Eat or I'll hex you," Ginny said, her wand pointed at the boy, who complied. Even in this thick state of dementia he knew better than to cross a Weasley woman. "You've been here in the Chamber the whole time," she said, stroking his face. "They brought Voldemort's body in a bag into the Great Hall and flooed it away. Everyone was celebrating, but Ron and Hermione made an announcement that things weren't over. They told everyone that Voldemort was still alive, is he Harry?" Harry swallowed the bacon.

* * *

Harry didn't speak again for a moment, as if he was contemplating turning the girl away. "Yeah. Five times over. I came down here to train, to learn spells that would help me… and I've not even gotten a chance to finish my potions." He ate in silence, and after a few moments, Ginny too took the other plate and began eating as she stood, watching him. She hadn't been able to stomach much though, and eventually cast the plate aside. He finished eating finally, and put his on the tray as well, then shoved it away to a dark corner of the platform. "When will you be leaving," he asked.

"When you're better," she replied. "They've canceled classes for two weeks because of this mess, and sure people will be looking for me before all is said and done, but… I don't care. I'm staying right here." Harry hung his head. And shook it. She ignored this however, conjuring a stool upon which to sit opposite of him.

"Come back to me, Harry," she said, stroking his face again. "Please."

"I'm just a filthy killer. Why would you want me?"

"Oh is that it," she asked, sounding even sadder than before. Tears welled up in his eyes as she took him into her arms, drawing him close against her body. Harry felt safe in her warm embrace, so much so that his own arms shot up and around her, hugging her tightly to him.

"I'm so sorry, Ginny. I don't deserve you." He clutched her tightly and just closed his eyes against the onslaught of tears. "I- I really don't…"

Rudra the snake slithered off into the darkness after Maleck.

And so it was that after five years, Ginny had returned to the Chamber of Secrets, now in the company of her lover, one Harold James Potter and a pair of snakes. "Gin… you've been gone a whole day almost, shouldn't you go back," Harry asked, holding the girl to him in a manner contradicting his verbal inquiry. He was better now, a bit at least. It still made him freeze inside when he thought of the night he had tricked Voldemort into his trap in the Chamber of Secrets but… he reckoned every duel he had with Voldemort from there on out would have equally queasy of an effect.

"Come with me," she demanded.

"I've got to hunt down the Horcruxes while I have time. Those above us, they're imbeciles." The whole of the school was loud with celebration above them, singing, dancing, he could hear it all above them, a ball thrown by the headmistress who like everyone else wouldn't believe the words of Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley. "My task here, in this damp dark prison is to train. I chose this place because it is the place where I am most connected to Voldemort's frame of mind."

He closed his eyes before continuing. "He was lonely, Gin. So lonely. I can feel it about this large, hulking chamber. He was so tired, and lonely. He had been, since Dumbledore retrieved him from the orphanage, surrounded by Slytherins, of course, none of which were his friends. They were his followers. Just like now. Riddle doesn't want friends, he embraces the loneliness. That is what makes him scariest. Not his murder, his Horcruxes, or his physicality, it's that he has no friends. He has no weakness. Save for one. Not understanding that there are things worse than death." Harry felt the girl bury her face into his neck, and allowed it happily, sitting on the chair with her in his lap.

"If I were to go up to Hogwarts, people would look at me odder than ever before. They'll think me a dangerous murderer and wonder what was ever so special about that Potter kid. Because they think Voldemort is dead, and have no use for me." He took a deep breath.

"I'll have to drag you up there, is that what you're trying to say," she asked, pulling back.

"In short," he replied, and he never saw the hex that hit him.

Looking back, he would realize he awoke in the process of it all, he was floating through the air, upward and Ginny could be seen opposite of him in the room, and his stuff was someway beside him with Maleck and Rudra, unmoving beside his luggage. However, when his eyes closed, they didn't open again until he was in a room with too familiar of a pain scheme for his liking. Maleck and Rudra were softly speaking to each other at his side as he rose, eyes taking in the sight around him.

Several blank, semi-familiar faces stared down at him, and for a while he was so disoriented he was reaching for his wand when realization hit him. A rather short, skinny sixth year raised his hands and clapped them together. Collin Creevey. The room around him began to fill with the sound of clapping, maddening Harry, driving him to such levels of anger that he was sure he'd hex the first person his wand landed on. The wand slid from his pocket as he readied to take some of his anger out of the arm chair he had just been sprawled in, however, an arm was constricting his to his body. Two arms.

He turned his head and saw Ginny behind him, her arms around him. He turned and returned the embrace, his head hung. "Make them stop, Gin… please. I don't want to hear it… I don't… I don't. Please." Sensing his obvious torment, the room seemed to quiet.

"Why are you applauding me? I've succeeded in nothing," he said his head still down so that all he saw was the floor between his own feet. "Voldemort is alive. He'll be back eventually, as soon as he finds a way like he did in my fourth year." The crowd was now dead silent. Colin's voice was the one to reach his ears.

"He's really not gone," the boy asked, biting his lip. Harry let out a deep sigh, the boy's voice, once high pitched and erratic was now deep and calm. Time had worked its magic. They were all growing, way too fast. Where was the little guy who used to follow Harry around, camera in hand, shouting out "Alright Harry?" Where was he now? He was a near adult living in a world of war.

"Colin, he survives every time. Hermione and Ron tried to tell you all, didn't they? How many of you listened? Dean? I'm sure you did, you know, you understand. Neville, I know you did, you were at the Ministry. You could feel his power, couldn't you? And it's still there, isn't it," Neville nodded, and seeing that Harry couldn't see him spoke up shakily.

"I wanted to believe, though… I really did. I-I should have believed you guys, Ron, Hermione. I'm sorry." Harry heard his friends' replies from somewhere in the crowd, but ignored them. He didn't want to be here at all. It hurt too much.

"Where's my stuff, Gin," He asked, raising his eyes only enough to take in her face which was red and tearstained.

"The Headmistress had it moved into your new dorm," Ginny replied cooly. "Since you're back that is."


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I don't own it.

* * *

"I'm not," he replied evenly, finding his voice. "I told you I have to go. If I can't train where I was, then I'll go find somewhere else. The longer I stay here, the more time I waste that Voldemort could be finding a new way to recover a body. I should be… training, researching."

"Then take us with you," Ginny countered.

"You're still in school," Harry shot back, and immediately regretted it. The crowd was still watching with some sort of morbid curiosity as Ginny jabbed him in the chest.

"Don't you try that on me Harry Potter."

"Hey Harry," Hermione said, breaking up the conversation.

"What," He snapped, finally turning the crowd to find Hermione settled at a table in the back.

"I've found something you'll find of interest," She replied, holding up a small tome.

"I doubt it; that came from my luggage right, I've seen that book, it's one of Dumbledore's."

"We'll see what's interesting and what isn't."

* * *

"Ginny, Ron, Luna, Neville and I went to the Headmistress' office to talk to… Dumbledore's portrait. He didn't say too much, but he told us he sent some of his things to you. He told us that he figured you wouldn't open this, that this was among it. It's a journal, Harry. It gets very thick near the end of it. The last sentence reads as follows. 'And now, Harry Potter and I embark on a journey that Sybil Trelawney predicted as my last.'" Harry shot her a cold, silencing look.

"Don't go quoting his wisdom in public. You and I both know the chaos that could result." The room around stared apprehensively, and then the crowd seemed to break into smaller groups, but Neville strayed over to Harry, Ron and Hermione. Ginny was standing a ways away, talking to the last remaining Creevey brother. After a few seconds, she too came. Harry heard, faintly Maleck and Rudra trying to catch his attention, but couldn't focus too hard on anything.

"_You are not well?_"

"_I am fine, Rudra, Maleck,_" he assured them after a moment of silence stretched farther throughout the group. It wasn't for lack of conversation, for Harry himself could have burst into screams right then, screaming about being forced back, among other things. But, he knew he had no right. He had no right to be angry at anyone, to harbor ill feelings toward anyone. He had committed homicide, had taken off the head of Tom Riddle.

"What else did he tell you?"

"His pensive, it seems in his will he ordered someone, we're not sure who, to drain his mind into several different bottles. He left it to you, I'll assume you've already looked at it." Harry nodded. "He left several riddles that one." Hermione took a deep breath and continued. "There was one last thing, Harry, he told us that in the journal he left you a letter. I picked it out the minute you got here, so that it'd be safe, I think it's important." From her robe pocket she revealed an envelope addressed to Harry in Dumbledore's elegant handwriting.

Ginny sank into a chair beside Hermione, and he followed suit. In his shaking right hand he held the contents of the envelope, staring at the faded parchment numbly. Suddenly Ginny's hand took his, steadying it. With a soft smile, he used his other hand to open the folded parchment and began to read, not at all minding the other three doing the same. Had he known what was contained, he would have read it alone.

_Dear Harry,_

_You're reading this, and thus it is quiet the good assumption that I am dead and gone. Though, as I said in your second year, I won't be gone until all loyalty to me is. And thus, I give you this final word along with some of my personal effects. I wonder if you will hate me now, or find anger with me, as you did in your fifth year, to hear that I have kept one more, rather significant secret from you. You have spent a little over 15 years (as of the time this was written) living under the impression that your aunt, uncle and cousin were the only family that remained. I must confess and apologize for this lie. Yes, you hate me now, I assume. I do not blame you. Your father, was unaware of who his own grandfather was. His grandfather is a strict, grumpy rather foolish old man, who had disowned your grandmother when she married your grandfather, James Potter's grandfather is none other than the owner and barman of the Hogs Head, Aberforth Dumbledore. _

_Aberforth is my younger sibling. I guess, in some ways that makes me something of an uncle to you, and, I now apologize that my part in your life was not taken more seriously. Harry, if you hate me, I blame you not, but know that this revelation came to me merely days before the battle at the Ministry of Magic, learning it over a drink with an already well drunk man. We were all under the impression that he had disowned his daughter for running away, that she had changed her name and left. Well, this is partially true, she did change her name and leave. Harry, I leave you now with this simple request. Never forget, there are things _much_ worse than death._

_Love (If you'll forgive the pun, dear boy.)  
Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore  
_  
Neville's gaze traveled up to Harry's face, and his hand came up to the boy's shoulder, the opposite shoulder was where Ginny rested her hand, though now it rose and stroked his cheek soothingly. "Way. Too. Fast." Harry said, putting the letter down. "This is going too fast. I shouldn't have gone over and gone through this. I shouldn't have. I need to go." He stood from his chair suddenly, taking the letter with him. "I shouldn't have come back at all. Something happens, always." Harry turned away from the table and made for the portrait hole.

Before he could reach it Ginny had hold of his arm and Ron the other. "Harry, you can't just keep running away from it," Hermione was trying to reason with him now.

"I know," he admitted, trying to pull his arms from their grips anyway. "I don't want to face it though," he finished, relaxing as one grip left him and was replaced by a copy of the other. Ginny's slightly smaller hands gripped his arm, their warmth capturing him and spreading through him, so that his whole, tense body slacked, perhaps too much. Harry reached out to steady himself on the back of Neville's chair.

"Harry, I think you should go see-" he spun quickly around, eyes landing on the brunette.

"Hermione, if you think I'm going to go all the way to Hogsmeade to see some Great Grandfather who disowned my grandmother and has yet to bother to give more than a passing glance to me- save for the scowl during my fifth year –then you are dead wrong." he finished, puncturing the silence of the room rather effectively.

Nobody spoke, but he saw the questions on all of their faces, and chose not to answer them.

"No Harry, I meant you should go see Dumbledore's portrait. He may have more to say to you than he did to us." Harry's eyes closed, strained, almost pained again.

"That'd be even worse."

"It'll need to be done," Neville interjected in a very Luna-like way; stating the obvious

* * *

. 

"Go to bed," Ginny commanded around an hour later. "Go to bed, you're dead tired." Harry sighed. He was leaning forward, elbows on the table in front of him, his head in his hands, his eyes drooping low. He didn't think that if he laid down that he would be able to sleep though. A sense of dread crushed him, pushing at him from all sides. He was related to a Dumbledore, Harry had a Wizard relative out there, no matter how grumpy he may always seem.

Did he really want to see this man though? The few times he _had_ seen him, it had not been a pretty sight, in fact more often then not he would get a piercing glare here or there. However, he was a legal adult and it was time he started acting like it. "Next Hogsmeade visit?"

"In about two weeks," Hermione said.

"Too long," He replied and continued thinking.

"If you wanted to go, you could go tomorrow, you're an adult," Harry remained silent. "Sure if you're caught they'll take points from you… but… you are an adult…."

"This is family, go now if you want Harry. I have some floo powder upstairs; Gran wanted me to have it in case something went wrong." Neville was suddenly very adamant about it, and Harry knew why. Family was something to be cherished, no matter what. Harry stood, he was too tired… maybe he could go after breakfast tomorrow.

"Harry! Don't you even THINK about going tonight," Harry felt Ginny latch onto his arm, steadying him. He was way too tired. "Come on, up to bed."

"I don't wa-"

"Yes you do!"

"Yes ma'am," he replied, giving in.

As they ascended the steps, Harry clearly heard someone mimicking the sound of a whip and saw Dean's arm pulled back erratically. He'd have to hex him later. "Here's your dorm," she said, because he had just removed his glasses. "You're sure you're alright, Harry?"

He shook his head, making it clear that he wasn't at all sure, and opened the door. His stuff was at the foot of a four poster which was set so that he could look out the window easily. He allowed himself to sink onto the bed, feeling immediately tired and alone. Of course, a few second's later, Ginny sat beside him.

He felt her arm snake its way around him and her head slowly lean on his shoulder. "Do you want company for a while, Harry?" If he were in any other state of mind he'd shake his head and bid her goodnight, but right now, he didn't want to be alone. This struck him as funny considering all he had wanted a few days ago was to be alone until he wasted away. He couldn't do that. He still had a purpose, an obligation to them. _Why? Why would I have an obligation to THEM?_ He felt himself being pulled down and allowed himself to lie back, before he felt warmth at his side. Ginny moved closer, laying her head on his shoulder.

"Ginny… won't Ron," he trailed off mumbling. He couldn't remember what he was going to say, and felt himself being covered in the blanket as Ginny moved even closer. Her head slowly turned until it was buried in his neck, her warm breath softly caressing the very delicate and sensitive skin in the crook of his neck. The sleep over took him as he wrapped his arms about the girl, pulling her to him so they both lay on their side, facing each other. She watched, with a smile, as Harry Potter's eyes closed.

His body relaxed greatly in her arms and he fell loose. Ginny, however drew herself close to him once more and laid her head on his shoulder. "I'll protect you Harry. Even though you protect me a lot better." When his breathing had steadied, she looked up at him. His face was in a state of pure contentment, he was just like the soft, happy Harry that Ginny had first seen at Kings Cross, instead of the pained man he was now. A hooting noise made it known to Ginny that Hedwig was at the dormitory window, a letter in tow. She stood and walked across to the window where she allowed the bird to enter and took the letter from it. She was not shocked when it's eyes hovered on Harry for a moment, then she turned and flew out of the window. Ginny held the rolled parchment curiously; it wasn't even in an envelope. On the bit of it she could see a signature. Arthur Weasley.

Immediately she became nervous, why was her dad sending her a letter now? And with Hedwig? She unrolled the parchment, slowing sitting down on the bed beside Harry.

_Dear Harry,_

_Molly and I are thrilled that you have written to us about this, and do not worry about any tardiness, we don't mind. We want to thank you for confiding in us, which is more than anyone else has done. Of course we wondered when you avoided Ginny so much at the party, but… well, that's the way things are I guess. I'm glad everything is alright; I wish you would tell people where you are though, Ginny included. We're sorry for the wait for our reply, we wrote Ron, and Charlie, and Bill about this, we wanted the whole of the Weasley's to know. Unfourtunately, Fred and George got the letter before we did, and are probably going to send you a set of 'I told you so's so be ready._

_We're so happy you're courting our daughter, and Molly, just to warn you, is ranting already about grandchildren. I do hope you'll be careful next time you see her?_

_Arthur Weasley_


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.  
A/N:**

The mystical voice from up above: Thank you so much, you're my first review on the restructured/rewritten Might I Say. I also see from my stats page you've got it on alert, so, I thank you a hundred times over.  
**  
Now, chapter 13!

* * *

**

Harry was still sound asleep on his bed, and now Ginny felt unmistakable guilt for reading his mail… but she thought it'd be for her…. She wondered, however, when Harry had sent the letter or planned to tell her he had. She left the paper unrolled and laid it on Harry's nightstand.

_No matter what, I'm going to spend some time with him._ She slid back beneath the covers and allowed a sense of peace to wash over her. Her parents and brothers liked the idea, and that was always a good thing. She buried her face into his neck, finding warmth and peace there. He made a soft noise in his sleep as if he had been tickled, and Ginny was almost sure the boy had giggled, but it was over quickly, and weariness settled over her. Harry was a complicated person, and those were the worst kind of people to try and support.

Harry's arms were full when he awoke. Full of a beautiful red-haired angel, one who was very much asleep. He had awoken because of a pain in his head, and he was now quiet aware of WHY he was hurt. Ron stood over him, his wand out. "What in the bloody-"

Harry used his now free left hand to bring a finger to his lips. It was dark out by now, as it had been only noon when he and Ginny had traversed up to the 7th year dormitory and had fallen asleep talking. Or at least, he had been talking when he had fallen asleep, he wondered, in a frowning way, if Ginny had felt obligated to him over something. He saw an unknown piece of paper on his bedside table, but had to deal with the Weasley male first.

"Nothing happened, Ron," he assured the boy, slowly releasing Ginny and sitting up. As if to emphasize this, he rolled down the sheets and showed that he was still fully clothed, save for his feet which hadn't been housed in shoes or socks for over two weeks. That was an obvious side effect of living in a dirty, muddy, stone chamber. "Ron, before you get angry, I promise you nothing happened." He repeated, crossing his heart. Now Harry got to his feet and began to back away from the bedside. Silently Ron had begun approaching him, wand raised. It was only then that Harry became aware that Seamus Finnigan, Dean Thomas, Hermione Grainger, and Neville Longbottom were also present in the room.

Ron gave a great wave of his wand, and Harry tripped, feeling his left foot weighted down, falling to his left. When he managed to sit up, he saw, crudely enough, a ball and chain attached to his leg. Seeing the look upon his face, the room –save for the sleeping Ginny- broke into laughter. Ron dropped his foreboding look almost immediately, then he too dissolved into a fit of laughter that confused Harry.

"Well, he's already not reacting well to having a nice ball and chain," Dean managed to say between laughs, and this caused Harry to realize the symbolism of the device connected to his ankle.

"Funny guys," Harry said, taking Ron's offered hand and standing up. "I thought you were going to kill me."

"I would have if it was anyone else, but you'd not do anything rash. Not to mention you'd barely made it up the steps," Ron assured him. With a grunt of irritation he reached his wand, brushing the parchment off the desk by accident and vanished the offending device holding him down. "Well, wake her up and tell her to go to her own bed, Harry."

With a false nervous smile, he grinned. "_Me,_ wake up a Weasley! You must be insane, your mother's the only _that_ brave. You do it, she's your sister."

"She's your girlfriend," Ron said, a bit of an emphasis on these words. Of course he should have known that was coming.

"Fair enough," he looked past Ron toward Dean who shrugged.

"It's all right Harry. I'm… fine," he said, though he looked a tiny bit pained. Harry nodded knowingly and moved over to his bed. The sleeping girl was looking as if she was a bit cool despite the blanket. He leaned down softly, aware of all around him (including her stubborn brother) and kissed the girl softly on the cheek. He smiled in triumph when she awoke. He knew Ginny well enough; that was for sure. Her eyes opened slowly, fluttering once.

"I reckon you might want to go, Gin," he said calmly, smiling as she looked around the room, turning red and looking like a deer in the headlights at the same time. He watched the girl sit and then stand up and look at her brother, seemingly shocked that he wasn't raising a fuss. Then a look of understanding crossed her face and her eyes darted toward his bedside table, then to the ground where the parchment lay.

This confused Harry, who leaned forward and put his lips on her cheek. "Goodnight, Ginny," he whispered into her ear. Her arms briefly encircled him.

"I read the parchment," she replied. "You should have told me you were writing them." Then she turned and disappeared out of the common room doors, followed by Hermione who looked truly smug.

"Right then," Seamus said, rather business like. "It's time you tell us everything-" Harry raised his head. "-about the letter Hermione showed you. Because as far as we'd always known you only had those Muggles as a family. " He let out a sigh of relief.

"Seamus…" Neville said softly. "It's personal and Harry-" Harry raised a hand.

"Thank you Neville, but… I don't see a reason not to, do you? Dumbledore's letter told me that his brother, Aberforth, is my great grandfather," Harry said.

"That old bloke who runs the Hogs Head," Dean said, looking surprised, if not awed that Harry was related to their former Headmaster. "So, Dumbledore was your," he looked as if he was adding up clues to a very complicated case. "Great-uncle?"

"Great-great-uncle," Neville advised. "Harry's Grandparents' sibling would be a great-uncle or aunt."

Harry nodded. "This'll be all over the school within a few hours, won't it?" The others nodded. "Well, I don't care, let it. What time is it," Harry asked pondering the near-darkness outside. He could tell it'd be a starry night, one much like the one upon which Albus Dumbledore had died.

"Seven thirty in the evening." Neville replied. His eyes were wide, as if he understood. Harry had an urge to show Neville gratefulness for his understanding, and compassion for the boy's struggles. He didn't know how, but he would.

"I'm going to the Hogs Head," Harry replied, reaching into his bag and withdrawing his cloak, which was still very dirty and covered in blood. But he didn't care. "Any chance I can borrow that floo powder?" Neville dug into his trunk and produced a small cloth bag which he immediately turned over to Harry. "Ron, Dean, Seamus, Neville, have a nice night if I don't return in time."

As he made to move to the door, Neville reached out, stopping him. "Do you want me to come with you," the boy asked, and again a thankful rush came to him and he shook his head.

"No, but you don't know how much it means to me that you offered. I need to do this alone," he felt apprehensive about this, for sure.

_I mean, honestly, a few hours ago I was dead set on NOT going. The guy probably will turn me away at the door._ So be it. He wouldn't be entering from the door, now, would he?

* * *

"Hogs Head," Harry commanded, dropping the floo powder. He felt kind of weird hunched over in a very Kreacher-like position as the Gryffindor Common's fireplace was rather small. Moments later he was spinning, through darkness, through fire. (Author's rant: Okay, stop, this isn't Gandalf's rebirth we're talking about here! Get on with it!) As he emerged from the fireplace, he collided hard with another person. 

"Sorry," He said rubbing his shoulder. He looked up.

"No problem just be more careful next ti- Harry?"

"Remus?" Gulp.

The werewolf stood right outside the fireplace of the Hogs Head. The whole bar area was silent around them, and it seemed as if the moment in time itself was focused directly on them. Harry hated being the center of attention. "What're you doing in a place like this " Remus asked, whispering rather harshly.

"Getting a firewhiskey," he replied, casually, but grinned.

Remus Lupin, who one year ago would have been Harry's legal guardian looked quiet close to telling him off. He opened his mouth several times, seemingly confused on what to say, because, well, Harry could legally drink, and he was no longer ward of Remus and thus not his responsibility anyway.

"Actually, I've come to talk to the barman, and maybe a firewhiskey" with that he walked past Remus toward the bar.

"No underage wizards allowed this late," the man said, grumpily, not looking up at Harry. He was dragging his rag around the inside of a bottle obviously attempting to seem as if he was washing or drying it. Upon close, silent inspection, Harry noticed that he seemed flustered and uncomfortable, and of course, Harry couldn't entirely blame him. The man must have known it was coming.

"I'm not underage, and anyway, what about great-grandsons," he said, rather loudly. And of course this caught the attention of not only every now silent customer, but the barman. He examined Harry quietly from behind the bar, stopping in his motions and setting down the empty bottle. His face contorted for a moment, as if he didn't know quiet what to say.

"Oh," he replied gruffly, pulling a bottle of butter beer out from under the counter. Then a second for Remus, and now what Harry believed was a bottle of fire whiskey for himself. Harry saddled up to a seat at the bar and smiled over to Remus. It was a smile that asked for the man's presence and thanked him for it all at once. Harry nervously found himself fidgeting on the barstool. How was he to explain or start this conversation? Why should he start it at all? Wasn't Dumbledore the one who needed to talk?

"What's all this then," the werewolf asked. His inquiring gaze hovered on Harry for a moment, and then slipped over to Aberforth. He opened the butter beer gratefully, and Harry followed his example. Unlike Remus, who just set his bottle down, Harry drew a deep swig from it, really hoping that someone else would speak up. Of course, no one else really had the means to start the conversation as Aberforth Dumbledore didn't know exactly how Harry knew, but he of course, knew that it had something to do with his older brother, the former Headmaster of the school, who the barman knew was close to Potter and his father when the man was alive.

"Headmaster Dumbledore left me a letter," Harry finally replied, "among other things. And it clearly stated that my grandmother was his niece. Your daughter," he said pointedly to the man he'd never before spoken to. This man sighed gruffly and took a sip of fire whiskey straight from the bottle. "Your tongue is loose when you're drunk," Harry advised, remembering what the letter said the circumstances surrounding the former Headmaster's acquisition of this knowledge were.

Lupin gave him a look of utter disbelief. "So you're telling me Alicia Potter was originally Alicia Dumbledore?" The barman shook his head; he took another deep swig from his bottle, probably to ward off the moment when he would have to speak again. Harry was not blind to the fact that this was hurting the old man, but found that he was also not in the least sympathetic. He had been hurt far, far worse in his life time and thought that this man had every ability to recount the acts that lead up to the disownment of his daughter and consequentially the estrangement of the Potter line from the Dumbledore line.

"Originally she was Alice Dumbledore. I disowned her after she ran off with that Potter boy, and she changed her name to Alicia Smith. Then of course Potter married her, and she had their son James. I met him once, stout boy, had my dad's smile." The same smile, Harry noted that Dumbledore had had before, before…. "Aah, I can't say I didn't expect Albus to tell you in his letter…. I almost spoke to you at the funeral…. I couldn't though, what could I say? 'Hi, I'm your great-grandfather who disowned your grandmother?' Sounds kind of bad, doesn't it?"

"You should've said something earlier, instead of leaving him with those muggles," Remus said quickly. He was on the defensive, for Harry's sake. No one liked the fact that he had had to live with people who had been found to be abusive mentally and emotionally, and at times physically. Harry smiled at the man, thankful he'd run into him (literally).


	14. Chapter 14

_Disclaimer: I don't own it!

* * *

_

"Yes, I think I should have, it was foolish of me not to, but one can't go back in time… well one can, but it's against the law to do so!" Harry was rather horrfied when the man actually smiled at his own horrid joke. Sensing Harry's hostility, he sighed and backed down.

A silence fell about the group. Harry took time to examine the room around him. Things had picked up around the bar, it seemed as if the customers weren't interested enough to stay silent and listen. One man was drunkenly waving his arms, obviously engaged in a story he thought of some importance. It reminded Harry of Dean earlier and that he remembered that he really needed to give the boy a hexing.

"Tell me about your brother," Harry finally said, softly. "Whatever comes to mind. Anything, everything."

* * *

"And of course, Albus was always an odd child," Aberforth said, taking a deep gulp from the bottle. "Always. And when he took up fighting Grindelwald… well, who knows what he was really thinking. It thrust him into the heights of fame though, I sensed he didn't like that. He was never a violent child, mind you, but you turn a wand on he or someone he loved, and you would almost certainly guarantee yourself a visit to Mungo's at least." 

"Of course, then he took up working with those Alchemists. And about… nighteen sixty, was it?" Remus nodded. He was slightly drunk, and handed Harry the glass of ale, much to the dismay of Aberforth, but Harry didn't comment. He sipped it softly and drank regularly over the next large amount of time until it was gone. He'd ordered a beer before that. Harry was settled in for a long talk, after all.

"Right, about then, the announcement came out that he and Flammel had finally perfected another Sorcerer's stone, and it was a good thing too, Flammel was gettin' on in years and needed it." The mercurial mind of Aberforth Dumbledore then switched to another story about a duel he had with his brother when they were both kids in Hogwarts.

Harry smiled as he sat at the bar. He listened to the man talk well into the night; he was not shocked to hear that the bar was closing and shook his head to Remus when the man offered to escort him back to Hogwarts. "I want to stay for a bit," Harry had replied, and Aberforth Dumbledore launched into the end of a story.

"So, Alby went off ter a hearing or somthing, I don't know, that Mundungus fellow-"

"Dirty common thief," Harry muttered. Remus didn't seem shocked at this at all, and laid a galleon down on the bar before Dissaparating. Aberforth continued.

"He had gotten into quiet some trouble. I didn't seem him again 'til Hallo-" His mouth shut suddenly, and Harry tilted his head to the right in curiosity. When the man didn't comment for a few moments, Harry reached into his pocket and put down some money of his own.

"Can I get a pint of mead?" he asked. He had particularly enjoyed the taste he had gotten of it on Privet Drive, and rather fancied a drink to allow him to mull over the sudden silence. He was sure the man had been about to say Halloween, but there'd been such a sudden, strong pause that it worried Harry.

"You drink, boy?" Aberforth asked, changing the subject.

"Only once before," Harry replied truthfully.

The man gruffly pulled out a mug and filled it from a one of the few clean bottles behind the counter. "What year was Dung's trial?" Harry asked cryptically, drawing a drink from the mug. It wasn't as good as the drink he had had at Privet Drive but it was nonetheless a pleasant taste that rolled across his tongue.

"1979, if I remem-ember right," the man slurred. His eyes widened in realization of what he had said, but he didn't speak anymore of it, and Harry was appreciative. "So Alby and you were cl-close," Aberforth asked after several minutes.

"Sort of, I guess," Harry said, sighing into the last of his mead which he downed and then standing up. "I should get back to Hogw-Hog- the school." Harry finished, moving toward the fireplace. He bumped into a table on his way and knocked over a chair. He managed to send himself sprawling after a moment and took a deep breath then returned to his rather uncoordinated feet.

"Don't… don't be a stranger, boy!" Aberforth replied softly from across the bar. He had even managed to slur that sentence!

"I won't. I-I-I'll come here every weekend when I'm done studying," Harry promised with a smile. What would they do to him, expel him? A soft, slightly dark smile played across his face as he stepped into the fireplace. Of course, he managed to slam his head on the mantle and to stub his tow on the brick before he made it in. He seemed rather uncoordinated for whatever reason. He finally decided it was the excess of alcohol. From the pouch at his waist he withdrew some floo powder and spoke the words, "Hogwarts, Gryffindor Common Room." And thus it was that Harry Potter emerged from the small, cramped fireplace onto the hearth rug and landed square on his back, only to look up into the face of his beloved and the faces of Neville, and of Ron, and Hermione.

* * *

"Good morning," Ginny said softly. Harry grinned as he stood and stumbled, only a bit, over to the couch. He flopped down on it so heavily that it tipped backward and he had to lean forward to stop it from tipping. He found it rather funny she was waiting up for him. It was like, an old married couple bit. 

"G-G- you too," Harry replied, grinningly. Ginny was looking more beautiful then ever, her cheeks adorned with a red tint that was soft compared to the red flush that usually covered her face when they were together.

"You're drunk, aren't you?" Hermione asked frowning as Ginny sat down beside him.

"I'm just a drunk little, I mean, a little drunk. That's the one. I had a pint of mead, a glass of ale, and… wait, did I order beer before the… it doesn't matter! I have something to tell you," he said suddenly.

"Something Aberforth said," he shook his head at first and then he nodded slowly. "What?"

"I don't remember," he replied truthfully, and then broke into laughter. After a while, Ginny did as well. He wasn't sure why it was so funny that he couldn't remember what had been so heavy in his mind a few minutes ago. He felt warmth at his ear as her lips met it. His eyes closed against the sensation, and he sighed.

"I remember now," When she pulled back he saw that Ron had determinedly averted his eyes. "Dumbledore, Aberforth, that is, had some sort of conversation with our dear former Headmaster the day Voldemort attacked my folks. I don't know what about, he kept trying to avoid the subject."

* * *

Ron woke him. Harry looked up at his redheaded friend with a smile on his face. "'Mornin' mate." However, standing over his bed was also one Professor McGonagall. Harry, not exactly sure what to say, probably due more to the thick obscuring curtain of his hangover than anything else. 

"Come along, Mr. Potter, someone wishes to have a meeting with you," her face was pained, drawn into a thin grimace, tighter than ever. He stood up in his pajamas and made as if to look for his clothing but was stopped. "Just grab a cloak and come along." Frowning, he pulled the cloak on and around him tightly –he felt a little shy in his pajamas, after not being around another human for so long- and made his way toward the door. A prying little voice made him turn.

"_Come Rudra, Maleck. Come my friends._" The sound of his snakes slithering softly along toward him reassured him as little else possibly could. Harry began his descent to the bottom of the stairs behind the Headmistress and felt rather like he wanted to be sick.

"Several first years claim to have seen you take off via the fireplace last night, without your snakes. Indeed, the new Deputy Headmaster and Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher claims he saw you." His ears perked up. If the new Deputy Headmaster had seen him, Harry should have recognized him. "In fact, he'll escort us the rest of the way."

"Wotcher, Harry," Harry heard the phrase slide, almost oddly from between Remus Lupin's lips. Tonks must have been rubbing off on him. "You've a meeting you know, come on then."

As Harry pushed the veil of his hangover back he ran forward to catch the man, his companions following behind him. "You're a professor again? You're the Deputy Head?" Remus Lupin smiled mischievously. It was this smile that Harry imagined Sirius and his father had seen many times from the man when he was a younger. In that light, that mischievous grin scared Harry though. It reminded him of a man named Morfin. Unbidden, the verse came from his lips, one that he had heard Morfin, uncle of Voldemort croon to his own pet snake on one dark dreary day.

"_Hissy hissy, little snakey  
Slither on the floor  
You be good to Harry  
Or he'll nail you to the door._"

Maleck and Rudra slowed behind him, and he turned to see them. He was worried as to how they'd react from his little play on that rather dark verse. He wondered at the depths of Morfin's loneliness when it had come into his mind. The man had obviously been a dark wizard, that was sure, but he also seemed rather insane, a side effect, perhaps, of his obviously insane father. Harry shuddered when he remembered Dumbledore telling him that Morfin, when in Azkaban, had proclaimed his worry of his dead father's reaction to the loss of his locket.

"_Have we angered you, Master?_" The snakes seemed rather fearful, and how could he blame them? He'd been rather annoyed and vague lately, and had disappeared without taking them with him last night. Harry bent at the waist to put a finger on either of the snake's heads. It was, quiet possibly the most intimate gesture he had shared with anyone other than Ginny in his entire life.

"_No Rudra, it was merely a memory," _when he released each snake he noticed their whole bodies were relaxed now. "_Not even my own._"

"You know, it is rather fascinating to hear, but do you mind filling me in?" Remus Lupin had paused to watch the exchange with a look that was indeed of fascination. However, Harry knew that he was still unable to tell anyone about the lessons with Dumbledore as per the old wizard's request and thusly merely shrugged. He answered his guardian as vaguely -or even more vaguely- than he had his pets.

"Merely a memory, Professor, merely a memory," saying nothing more, he started off with his head pounding violently. His hand came up as if to quell the headache by rubbing at his temples, but it was filled as Lupin's hand had met it, and deposited a small crystal flask into his hand. Harry briefly examined the slightly sharp, rather evil looking potion, but knew he wasn't receiving anything poisonous from the Werewolf.

"It'll quail your hangover and I'm pretty sure you'll need a clear head for this one." It was only after this very comment that Harry began to truly worry about just what this 'meeting' was all about. He downed the potion quickly, wanting to be able to think and to wonder without fighting through a cloudy veil of pain. It was not at all as bad as he had expected by the acid green color of the liquid inside of it. He rather suspected an ingredient had been added to neutralize the potion while still maintaining its potency. Harry almost had the urge to let out a long violent laugh, the traitor's book was actually _educating _him, and educating him better than the greasy man himself ever had at that.

"Here we are," McGonagall interrupted, speaking for the first time since Harry had seen Remus rounding the corner. "White Hat," she said to the gargoyle. Had Harry been Hermione, he would have understood the significance of this, as it was a close translation to their old Headmaster's name, probably a testament of some sort. Stepping onto the bottom step, Harry, Maleck, Rudra, and Remus began the ascending to the Headmistress' office. "Good luck, Mr. Potter, I shall be heading to breakfast now." As the stairs came to a stop Harry reached to open the door and felt a hand on his shoulder. For a moment he figured it was only a brief squeeze and would be removed so that he could turn the knob. However, he soon felt pressure on it, and turned to look at his former guardian. The man's face was drawn and wrinkled, as if he was twenty years older.

"Take a deep breath first Harry, you'll want to," Remus told him.


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I don't own it.**

**Author's Note: This was the final chapter of the orgininal MIS I when it was in a 3 part series, now they're all condensed.  
**

* * *

It was a sight to see to be honest. A diverse group of people stood in the room very diverse, and even then, not all of them were people. To the immediate right of the door was Ginny, who he took a seat beside shakily. Half of him, fearful of this gathering, wanted to grab onto her, to draw her to him. Beside her was a tall, hulking figure, obviously Hagrid. Mundungus Fletcher stood a ways away from Hagrid, and consequentially Harry. This was good for him, as Harry felt likely to jinx him under normal circumstances. Bane and Firenze stood on the opposite side of the room, and to their left was a battered, bloody Rufus Scrimegour. This wasn't the most alarming presence in the room to Harry though, because to the immediate left of the door was Draco Malfoy. 

Anger seized Harry as he understood who the blonde was, and his wand came out as quickly as it ever had. Before anyone knew it, he was out of his seat and lunging at the boy. Draco put up no fight. Pinned on the ground beneath Harry, the boy remained impassive but for the look on his face, one which suggested he was near tears. Before Harry could utter a spell, he was being hauled up, and called off.

"You will not harm him, Harry," he turned quickly, his eyes landing on the portrait of Albus Dumbledore.

"Pro- I mean… Albus?" Remus and Minerva McGonagall filed in behind him. Harry James Potter was completely sated for the first time in a long time.

"You've been called here for two reasons Harry," the portrait man said. "First reason, however, is one that no one foresaw." Harry turned to the bloody Minister of Magic as the portrait indicated him. "Go on, Remus."

"Harry, what do you know of mythology?"

"A good bit, I was interested in it when I was younger."

The werewolf paused then drew a deep breath. He held up a photo. At first Harry thought it was black and white, but the people weren't moving at all, and yet… the grass in the background was green and red, the red obviously blood. "This is a picture of the ground that a recent battle against Voldemort took place on. Look here, this is an auror, do you recognize him?"

"Alastor Moody," the people all seemed to be stone. How many times had he had haunting images of petrified people take control of his dreams?

"And look here… this is a Death Eater, his mask has fallen off." Harry recognized this man instantly. Lucius Malfoy. "There are Death Eaters and Aurors, people from both sides, all the people from both sides. Petrified. Even…Tonks," his voice wavered a bit. "What mythological or magical creatures can produce petrification?"

"The basilisk of course, several different types of smaller snakes can petrify with their poisons, some spiders…."

"Think Greek mythology, Harry." Ginny whispered to him. She seemed sated, as if burdened with a heavy weight on her shoulders. He ran his mind through the many creatures and beings in the Greek mythological world, and then it landed on one word, which stuck in his mind.

"Gorgons," silence fell over the room.

"Look closer at this picture," Harry looked where his finger was pointing and saw quiet the familiar face of Rita Skeeter. "These were taken by Rita Skeeter's photographer. This is the last one on the roll," Remus moved the current picture to the back of the stack. The creature in this picture was horrible. It moved around from frame to frame screeching, its hair, living snakes, and flying about its scale covered rocky face. The worst part of it though was its piercing red eyes. A sickness sunk his stomach deep into his bowels.

"Gorgons Harry, the tale of Perseus. Perseus was a Wizard. His great grandson, Hercules had supposedly killed all his children. One survived. His name, Harry, was Gryfa. Adopting a new name he became a man named Sevele Gryffindor. He in turn gave birth to a son, who gave birth to another, and finally, to Godric Gryffindor. Godric Gryffindor is an ancestor of the Dumbledores, and thus, of you. Thus, you are a descendant of Perseus." With a pause, he drew a breath. "Perseus was given several objects to help him on his task to kill a Gorgon."

Harry took over, "A sword from the gods for one. This allowed him to kill Medusa even though her skin was like stone, but not Sthenno and Euryale as they were… immort- you've got to be kidding me right!" It had just hit him hard as could be what they were hinting at. "You've got to be kidding me! Bloody Gorgons?" To say that fear gripped him would be an understatement. Sthenno and Euryale? They were real? He dropped farther down in his seat, covering his eyes. He replayed the tale in his head.

_King Acrisius of Argos sought out an oracle… it warned him he'd never bare a son, but his daughter would bare a son who would kill him. The king set her into a bronze prison. Zeus impregnated her, and she bore Perseus. Perseus and his mother were tossed into a chest and set out to sea. They ran up land where they were taken in by the kind brother of a cruel king. The king tricked Perseus into going to look for a Gorgon to slay because of his dislike of the boy but love of the boy's mother. Perseus had divine help, but slay the monster. He took others as well on his way. Of course his mother hadn't married the king, and was thus forced into hiding. Perseus then petrified the king and his court with the head of Medusa and brought his mother out of hiding. It was one of my favorites back then…_

"The sword… Godric Gryffindors!" Harry sat bolt upright in his chair. Had he really held the sword of Athena?

"I was wondering when you'd make that connection," Dumbledore's portrait said softly. "I'm quite afraid so."

"Then… then we've got to find Godric Gryffindor and have 'im take care of the Gorgons!" This outburst was followed by silence. Several of the people in the room stared at Hagrid until he muttered, "Righ' immortal an' all tha'." Harry continued to examine the half-giant for a moment, then turned to look up at the portrait of his mentor.

"Then that's it. I'm dead." Harry, who had never been quick to give up hope, not even when facing down the basilisk, was more than willing to turn himself over immediately. Prophecies be cursed, if he was gone, the Gorgons wouldn't attack the country. He couldn't risk all of England being petrified on his account!

"What has happened to you Harry? Where is the determined boy who joined me in my last quest merely months ago," Dumbledore's portrait grew silent after this, a silence Harry felt more akin to the disappointed tone he used to here in Dumbledore's voice.

"He died in the Chamber of Secrets. There's no way to kill something immortal!" Harry was on the defensive now, but utterly confused about where exactly his defenses should be aimed.

"Minerva, if you and the others could please excuse us for a moment," Remus Lupin had already moved to the door and pulled it open before Ginny objected. Harry should have seen this little development. He should have expected it. His hand went to her arm immediately, then it slid down to her hand to show his obvious support of her statement.

"There's no way I'm leaving Harry alone right now. I stay." When the portrait man nodded, his eyes landed on the two creatures that had slithered into the room when the Deputy Headmaster opened the door. In the long silence that followed, the room emptied. Harry watched curiously as Draco cast one look back at the portrait version of Dumbledore, and then down at Rudra and Maleck.

"Harry, may I inquire as to," Dumbledore was examining them with an intensive interest. Harry saw it was not unlike the glances he had given Voldemort during his younger years. A steady worry, a steady wonder.

"Maleck and Rudra, I bought them at a pet shop months ago. They've kept me company during my stay in the Chamber of Secrets, where I began studying more in-depth into conjuration spells and everything I could. They're my pets. Rudra took on Nagini." Then Harry's stomach lurched. "Headmaster, Nagini has been killed, and… I… know where the other Horcruxes are… well, one of them. The Locket is missing and I couldn't get the location of the Cup in time… but Ravenclaw has a journal hidden in the school."

"I am glad to hear you've found another, but that will be for you to deal with another day, we'll have Aurors begin searching." He didn't comment further. "I'm also aware; that it was shortly after that meeting with Voldemort in the Chamber your House-elf brought Ginny Weasley to the Chamber for the second time. Now, I must inquire, as to why you're actually considering the prospect of giving up this easily? After all that we have learned about all of this?"

"Anything you can say to me, can be said to Ginny, Headmaster." Harry sighed. He'd have to get used to not being able to call this man Headmaster. He'd have to get used to this man being dead, and an imprint of him being left behind in a magical moving portrait. How, how could he get used to that, when Dumbledore was the last thing he had to family? Only he wasn't. There was Godric Gryffindor, there was Aberforth Dumbledore.

"Now, once more I'd like to venture into the realm of guesswork, just once more. Like many other creatures that petrify, the Gorgons draw this power from their eyes. It is my guess, that their immortality might come from it as well."

"But Medusa had-" Ginny objected. It was an objection Harry had foreseen though. It was a common misconception, one that Harry, as a schoolchild had attempted to explain to his classmates. However, Harry had been, at that age, a little bit ahead mentally. Now he was average. At least in the department of mentality, which was probably only the department where he could be normal.

"Medusa was originally human," Harry answered her. "She dared brag that she was more beautiful than Athena, who cursed her and made her a Gorgon. Eventually, she also lead to Medusa's death."

"I want to talk to you Harry, about moving on to something bigger. It has become apparent, that Sthenno and Euryale will not relent until you and my dear brother, are found and killed." Harry, who did not find this at all comforting, remained very much silent. "So… I have decided that it is best for the country, and yourself, if it were to be known publicly that you were no longer in the country."

"You mean you want me to run when Voldemort and two immortal creatures run about destroying England?" Harry knew he must have sounded ridiculous, but cared not.

"No, I want them to think that you've run when Voldemort and two immortal creatures run about destroying England," Dumbledore, even in his portrait, had a twinkle in his painted eye, but Harry could have sworn he saw it intensify. "I will, however, be sending you to a contact of mine for a bit of training, which may or may not help you in the task of making these beings mortal. In the mean time, Minerva will be searching for any trace of Godric Gryffindor's sword, which he took when he left a few days ago, and for the Journal you spoke of."

"So, I'm basically on the move. What about Voldemort's Horcruxes? What if… what if he's revived while I'm with your contact?"

"Then so be it. Now, if there are no more questions, I'll let you in on the second reason you were called here. I will be sending you to a contact of mine for a bit of training," Harry, despite himself and this newest turn of events, began to grin. Dumbledore, sly even from the beyond. "That is better."

And so, Harry called the others back and the room as a whole counseled so long that it was dark before he left the room, though the meeting had begun that morning. At midnight that night, Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy (accompanied by Remus Lupin) walked through the Hogwarts doors as students for the last time.

"Whatever comes must come we must meet it if we can," Remus said softly, then walked off in front of the boys.


	16. Chapter 16

_Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter._

* * *

Nobody in the Unspeakables department knew much about the three newer recruits. They claimed to be Englishmen who had been raised out of country. Normally, the Unspeakables would have the Ministry look into it. However, everything was in chaos lately what with dealing with the attacks of these mysterious creatures that were called Gorgons according to the Headmistress of Hogwarts, the rumors flying around about the disappearance of Harry Potter, who had supposedly been sent to train in Romania where it was rumored a friend lived. 

So for now, the mystery of Will Marks and Axe Zanan would have to endure. They were mostly being trained by the rest of the group, and spent a lot of time in the quarters of the man in charge, rumor has it that several incidents had happened in that room, as once Zanan had been carried out on a stretcher unconscious. Will had apparently exploded on him. It was rather public knowledge that Marks always had a violent disposition when anyone questioned him on his past. However, Zanan would dodge the question, and had only ever once been rude.

The two new guys were the least of the Unspeakables' worries as well. Several people were filing complaints with them even then, because of that blasted Death Eater attack which had destroyed every last one of the ministries Time-Turners, as well as several Prophecies. In fact, nine times out of ten, the group as a whole would have to pay up by way of a pay cut. This seemed to be no problem to Marks or Zanan though.

He was curious as to how they always seemed to have enough money to treat whatever shift they were on to a round of drinks at the Hogs Head. Why they didn't go anywhere else, he wasn't sure. Then there was the matter, of the third new guy. Varan Mick was the most curious of them; he stayed with them at all times usually, as if protecting them, though he surely didn't work as an Unspeakable.

Drawn from his revere, Brian Michaels noticed the two boys in question (for surely they had barely come of age) come through, past the veil. They each had the same white hair and blue eyes, as if they were brothers, though they assured all it was an altered look, and that in reality Zanan had brown hair and ebony eyes. Zanan, as usual paused to examine the veil with curiosity, Brian assumed. It was a curious object. Marks elbowed Zanan in the stomach, as usual, and they continued on, as usual. It was if they didn't differ from their schedule from day to day like everyone else. He saw Zanan and Marks disappear into another room. Zanan was larger, Brian noticed, than Marks.

The shorter of the two turned as soon as the door was shut and cast a silencing ward around the room. "Alrigh," he said. "Where's he at?"

The taller boy leaned back against the door with a sigh. "No idea. Why don't you use my name?"

The shorter attempted to bite back the retort, but finally it escaped. "The same reason you don't stop using my last name."

Predictably, though off schedule, Varan appeared around the corner, waved a gruff hand toward the watcher of the veil, who was under cloak as usual, and entered the room the boys had disappeared into moments before. He heard a large decisive click this time and was sure that they had locked the door. It was almost like they were conspirators in something. Who knew though, maybe they were on some important mission.

Whatever the case, it wasn't for Brian to worry about; his job was to examine the veil, especially since the increase in whispers reported from the veil had begun since the rise of Lord Voldemort. Lord Voldemort was an interesting topic, especially since it seemed not even his minions, or even Dementors, could be saved from what these people believed were immortal creatures that could turn people to stone with a glare and couldn't be touched by anything. His curiosity was peaked, still. He'd keep an eye on those three, yes he would.

A whistle rang out, and more predictably still, perhaps the most usual event on the boys' nearly strict schedule, all three men walked out of the door in unison with Brian pulling his Invisibilty Cloak off, and Zanan held up a full sack of money in the classic 'Round on me' way. As group they traveled to the Hog's Head, which was currently being run by a man named Mundungus Fletcher, who Varan spoke it often at the bar. Rumor had it that the owner had disappeared, possibly to the same place Harry Potter went. It was a well known fact the owner was Aberforth Dumbledore, who was the brother of the departed Albus Dumbledore, to whom many said the Potter boy was close.

As they gathered around the bar with the two other guys from the shift that had just ended, Brian watched as Zanan began to count out some galleons, was nudged once by Varan, the eldest of the group, by quiet a few years, and he added another galleon to the mix before handing it over to Varan who took it to the bar. Brian was always curious about this; he could tell Varan had some hatred for the man behind the counter. It was a strong one too. Once or twice, he'd caught Marks shooting the same person some skeptical looks and tightening the string around his moneybag.

Brian settled into his chair and yawned as Varan returned to the table and silently passed the firewhiskeys around. A butterbeer was laid in front of him, and Brian watched as another bottle of mead was put down in front of Zanan and Marks. Zanan poured two glasses full and handed one to Marks who wearily raised his glass in unison with Zanan. For the way they always hung around together, Brian noticed, Marks had his moments where he looked distinctly uncomfortable in the presence of either of these two. They had verbal wars a lot too; this usually came after a few drinks though.

However, they were starting early tonight. "You fainted," Marks was saying with a dark grin on his face. "I didn't faint when you hit me with it. You sure like to faint, like, oh say, that day four years ago."

"I didn't do to you what you did to me and you know it; you were way too careless with a spell of that caliber, and as far as four years ago, it's ancient history! I've already told you… if you'd even felt half of what I had, you'd be more than fainting, you'd be curled up on the ground whimpering like a child." Again, something uncharacteristic; Zanan rose to his feet, anger burning in his eyes. "Besides, Marks, you weren't so strong last year were you, weeping to a ghost. Or maybe it was the passing out when you got caught weeping to the ghost," Marks rose to his feet as well.

"You know very well why I passed out, Zanan," there was an odd pause between the word out, and Zanan, as if he'd had to draw his breath for some reason. "It wasn't being caught by _you_, and I wasn't crying! Besides, want to talk about careless with a spell, you could have killed me."

"Sure you weren't crying, and do you honestly think you have the right to talk about almost killing people? Do you?"

"Sit down and have a drink, _now_." Varan rarely spoke, but when he did, the commanding tone in his voice took the urge of anger out of both of them. Zanan dropped into his chair, drained his glass, and filled it once more. Marks did the same. Brian, despite all his thought thrown at contemplating them, figuring them out, broke into raucous laughter.

"Alright, settle down yeh two. Yeh've had a hard days work… why don't ya all just drink up." Brian was curious actually, as to exactly what they were arguing about, and honestly, as to what they did in their hard days work. Other than seeing them running errands, and being tutored about certain things out in the Department of Mysteries, he really didn't know too much else. Maybe they were interns of some sort, but then again, they had interns who did more work in then Misuse of Muggle Artifacts office.

* * *

"_Adseroanima,_" Zanan yelled, his body shaking. All at once, he saw only out of his right eye. His left examined darkness, until it came to what he believed was a pearly white version of himself. Though anyone who compared it to Zanan, would not make the connection. Through his left eye he saw the ghostlike image of his true self seem to lessen in the middle, as if tearing apart. "Do it!"

It only took about five minutes for him to change that 'do it' to, "STOP, PLEASE STOP," Zanan was writhing now, and the spell slid off of him. His vision returned in full, and he slipped to the ground. After a moment of panting roughly, he leapt to his feet, a sneer on his lips. "Nice, but not nice enough. We have to master this spell to counter it, and we have to find a spell to counter it if we ever hope to protect against _Avada Kedavra_." The pain he'd been going through was far from gone in his mind but, he couldn't very well waste anymore time. "Of course, we know that's only a secondary mission, I still don't think it's impossible."

"Stop talking and hit me now."

Irritation wracked him, and Zanan jumped forward, his eyes closing. In his mind, he saw a solid brick wall. He envisioned a pair of large, thick hands pulling at the two halves of the brick wall. "_Adseroanima!_" Magic flowed from his gut up into his right arm, and through his wand. He watched with a queer sort of pleasure, as Marks grew rigid. The boy's left eye began rolling wildly, separate from his right. Anger became intensified as Marks slid to his knees. A soft whisper escaped the other boy's lips. "What?"

"I said, remove it… please?" This came as nothing more than a whimper, which was what surprised Zanan most of all. The other boy was actually whimpering like a toddler who had stubbed his toe. For some reason, compassion overcame him. Zanan swung his wand up, removing the spell. As he pocketed his wand, he moved to the only other occupant in his room and helped him to his feet. "I… I think you've got it." Zanan scoffed. The other boy was trying to save face.

A whistle from the clock on the wall signaled that the current shift was about to end; and the beginning of their own was not far off. "Off to work we go," Zanan turned as if to hand his companion his set of robes, baring the insignia of the Ministry.

"I'm staying here today," Zanan stopped, dropping the robes and turning. He certainly had seen this boy in a variety of positions, including one influenced by a good bit of transfiguration, and another due to an awesome hex which endeared itself to him to this day. Certainly they'd been at odds before, and they weren't exactly the near-brothers people saw them as but… this was just… odd, and though he'd never admit it out loud, it worried him. "I'm tired. You can cover for me, I did when you _fainted_." Zanan growled. Marks turned away and disappeared into one of the two other rooms in their apartment.

Zanan arrived on time at the Ministry of Magic (three hours early for his shift), and stopped by second floor. The people who knew of this visit daily whispered that they'd like to see what kind of training the two new recruits did with the Aurors, as some days they would come to work, obviously drenched in sweat, and other days would come looking as if they'd had just had a full meal. Three hours later on the very dot, Zanan arrived in the Department of Mysteries. As per his usual routine, he slowly slid to the ground into a sitting position as the room began to spin. He closed his eyes against the swirling, and when all came to a stop, climbed once more to his feet.

Opening the door closest to him, he stepped out and continued his path toward the Veil of Soul Solute. Without looking, because the man was invisible, Zanan waved to Brian, and wandered off into the hall of Prophecies, where he examined shelf after shelf, recording on a small sheet how many orbs there were. His job was to make sure the number hadn't changed from day to day lest the Ministry knew of it. When this was done, he disappeared through the door he had come from, into the same spinning room.

The door it landed on now led him to the door he had tried once before taking a job in the Department, but it had been locked at that time. "_Vita flamma,_" a click resonated throughout the room, and he opened the door. His robes slid from his body, his shoes as well. All he saw was flame, of course. Flame. He walked forward into the flame and cursed as he felt fire on his neck. He reached up and removed the necklace quickly, tears welling in his eyes, and threw it out of the door by his robes and shoes, then shut it behind him. Zanan continued his walk through the flame, examining, feeling the pulsation of energy that surrounded and filled the room around him.

This was where he felt most at home when he was at work.

Amidst, and on flame he walked, untouched, unharmed. The flames would shoot up, making odd shapes. Hearts, doves, flowers of sparks, leaves, and even beautiful roses. A whisper slid from his lips as he continued examining the room entitled plainly 'Love'. To any, he would look insane; kneeling beside what could look only like a pool of lava. His hand slid down in it, feeling nothing, not even a liquid. Zanan closed his eyes, a sense of power flowing through his body overwhelming his senses. An equally powerful smile came to his face, and he pulled back, flexing his hand.

All was as it should be in the room of Love, and his job there was done. He stood from the pool and walked back toward the door, watching the flame-shapes. He was so curious about what all of it meant. Exiting the room, he clothed himself completely, and put the necklace into his robe pocket. He couldn't wear it on his next stop.

The door opened to the room of the veil, and Zanan walked in, ignoring Brian as he moved to the veil. He slid to the ground and frowned at the veil, examining, listening. This was not part of his job per say, but it touched at his natural curiosity, what was behind it? Why was Brian watching it? The veil flexed outward, and for just a moment he could see nothing but black, and very vaguely, some grey shape. He could almost make out the shape, but then the veil billowed back down. What was it he was seeing?


	17. Chapter 17

_Disclaimer: I don't own it.

* * *

_

His eyes traveled over the black veil as it flowed back and forth a half an inch, having suddenly calmed. His body was almost numb, and his mind seemed to focus only on the swinging of the veil. Behind it, he heard the whispering of many different voices, even some of anger. Some of the voices were in other languages too. He caught on to the sound of a certain voice, one from his past. "-some things worst than death."

Zanan rose, as the whistle rang out, through the air. "Drink on me, Varan and Marks are both sick today. Come on, I'll round up Eric and Manson." This was the first time he had ever been completely alone since getting the job three weeks ago. It would also prove to be the day that the replacement barman at the Hogs Head would dread. When they arrived Zanan went to the bar to make the usual round of orders.

"Four firewhiskeys and a bottle of mead," he said, obviously bored as he tossed down the right amount of money. He saw the scrubby looking man eye the money on the bar and for one moment reach out to take it. Then he stopped and a grubby looking grin crossed his face. It was the start of the incident which would immortalize Zanan's hatred, or perhaps disgust of him forever.

"Not enough," The demeanor in which the man stood, a superior way about him, tugged at Zanan, irritating him more than a little. He was getting angrier and angrier. "Not enough at all."

"Not enough," It was almost an instant thing, how annoyed he was. Who was this man to give him a smirking look and demand more money as payment than anyone had the right to in exchange for drink? "I've been here time and time again, and the prices have never been different."

"Well, I changed the prices, haven' I," Mundungus replied smugly.

"You don't have the power to," Zanan argued, a growl escaping his lips. It should have been the first sign to the barflies down a ways at the bar to clear out.

"Sure I do, I run da place, don' I," there it was, that smug grin that Zanan wanted to slap off. The grin that made him want to cast hex after hex in his arsenal at him, rip, tear, burn, fry.

He leaned over the counter and snarled at the man, grabbing the collar of his shirt and pulling him over the counter a bit so their faces were an inch apart. "You probably just wanted to make a few extra Galleons for yourself, weren't even going to put it into the account were you? How much have you nicked? Like the things from the Black Manson," the man's eyes widened considerably. "Yes, I know about that. I know when you're sleeping, I know when you're awake, and I'm sure as bloody hell **not** **Santa** **Clause**."

Mundungus Fletcher's eyes widened even more, and whimpering as Harry released him, he took the money and placed the drinks down on the bar. Zanan took the drinks, one drink at a time, back to his table. When he returned the final time, he picked up the mead and opened it. Motioning for a glass, he raised the bottle. After filling the glass, he lifted the bottle to his lips, took a long drink, and then slung the contents of his glass into the man's face. Then he tossed the glass over the counter at the man, and turned away.

"Sorry boys, you can have a drink without me tonight." Not oblivious at all to all of the staring going on by everyone at his table and around the whole tavern. Storming to the fireplace and threw in floo powder and then went to the best place he could think of. Work. To the room of Time.

* * *

Zanan entered the room of Time, where it was quiet possible that you could spend an hour inside and exit only a few minutes after entering due to the magical residue left over after the Time Turners had been broken. He heard several of these stories and had seen people entering and leaving (sometimes in the opposite order) when attempting to clear the mess out.

The room was so unstable that they easily got mixed up and ended up believing they'd been at work for several hours when they had, in fact, entered around three seconds ago. This was of course, on the worst days. However, he was more interested in the large, crystal bell jar. Inside of it was the familiar egg that had briefly two years ago been knocked from its position. He didn't know for sure when it had been placed back in its rightful place in the Department of Mysteries.

The egg traveled upward while it cracked, the bird was born, it grew up, and then the process began reverting as the creature slid toward the bottom. It was a truly amazing process to watch, and it left him curious as to what uses such an object could have. He'd once, out of curiosity stuck his pinkie finger in it, only to have it shrink to the size of an infant's, and then grow back to its correct length moments later. _Curious thing, time_. Memories flowed through his mind, enhanced, probably, because of the sand in the time turner.

_You must not be seen._

_Three turns should do it. _

"**ARGH! ARRRRGGGHHH!"**

Images, whispers, voices called to him, begging him for help, pressuring him, "Help us, Help us". He saw an old and wizened face, pained, begging for help, maybe even to him. He saw green and death. Green death. Zanan covered his eyes as memories caught hold of him and he succumbed to his need to break down in disgust over what his memories held. He collapsed backward onto the floor, clutching his own head. No longer did he see the old wise face, now he saw a pale, pasty face, one that disturbed him, but was not connected to a body at all. How could he stand to live that memory over and over again much longer?

Zanan, known also as Harry Potter stood and bound from the room of time, angry once more.

* * *

"What's your problem, Potter," Draco Malfoy had just awoken to a slamming door, only to see the Boy-Who-Lived storm past him on the couch and into the nearest bedroom, and then slam a second door so loudly a landscape painting fell from the wall.

"Shove off, Malfoy. I'm going to bed," with a shrug Draco walked away from the door and drew his robes on. He'd go down to the Hog's Head, no reason not to, that is, now that he had recovered from the Potter's attack on his soul. Of course, it wasn't a direct attack, but now that the soul ripping spell was done, they'd have to start messing around with shields, and if the need and ability came into play, create a shield charm of their own.

He had no delusions about it being easy, and indeed thought it impossible, but Potter _had_ been looking at all those books about creating spells and spell theory, and had even been looking at a few Arithmancy books, he'd gone on a shopping spree as Zanan as soon as they'd gotten out of work on their first day.

_It is possible,_ he finally conceded, _despite it all, Potter is amazing, there's no telling what he could be hiding._ He moved over to their fireplace, connected to the Floo network only recently. Tossing the last of their floo powder in, he decided to just drink and let go of wondering what might be wrong with Potter. "Hog's Head."

"He tried to kill me I tell ya! I want you to find that Zanan feller and- you! Go on, ask him!" The minute he had emerged from the fire, he had seen that infernal thief Mundungus Fletcher talking animatedly to his cousin Nymphadora and to a tall, bald Auror. They turned to him and moved closer.

"I'm Kingsley Shacklebolt," the man said, his hand lax on his wand. "Mundungus Fletcher has lodged a complaint with us that your friend, Mr. Zanan, attacked him." Draco's eyes widened and he glanced at Mundungus Fletcher, whose hair was wet as if he'd just been covered in someone's drink and who was sporting many small cuts all over his face. He noticed broken glass on the bar. Not good. Looking around, he spotted Brian and the others, but they made no move to come to his aid.

"You want to talk to him, then? Someone will need to supply me with some Floo powder, I'm out," he lied. Tonks reached past him, tossing the powder into the fireplace. "Follow me," he stepped into the fireplace and said clearly, "Unspeakable Quarters." He would bring them to the main level of the building but would not, ever let them hear the correct term to bring them right into the apartment.

After the Aurors arrived and accompanied him up two sets of steps, Draco knocked loudly on the door. "COME ON ZANAN!"

It only took about a moment for Potter to open the door, as Zanan of course. However, his eyes widened at the sight of them. "Tonks? Kingsley?"

Silence took the group until Draco ushered them in. "Have we met before Mr. Zanan," Kingsley inquired.

"Oh go on, reveal yourself and make it quick, or they'll haul you off for attacking that no good filth your great-great-uncle left in his place."

Harry James Potter sighed, raising his wand to his own chin and muttering. "_Finite Incantatem_. So, what's the damage?" Harry, even though he knew he was probably in plenty of trouble, couldn't help but smile at the shocked looks on their faces. The Order had been kept out of the loop after all.

"Well, you attacked Mundungus Fletcher-"

"For trying to steal from the Hog's Head like he cleaned out Sirius' place. If you were going to arrest me for that, then you better check his apartment and arrest him for swiping Sirus' stuff."

"No matter the reason, Harry, we have to do something, it's our job. God, Remus is going to murder me. I have to arrest his best friend's son the day after-" silence. Intrigued, Harry sat forward.

"After what?"

"After… none of your business, Harry, come on, we'll take you to the Ministry."

Harry began to think, long and hard. If he went to the Ministry now, he'd have to blow his cover entirely, and then Voldemort would be back. They didn't understand this, why hadn't Remus at least told Tonks?

"I can't do that, you see, if the Gorgons find out I'm still in the country, they'll go back on the attack, you guys haven't even had enough time to unpetrify the ones in the latest attack, if Remus hadn't had that extra potion in his storeroom, you'd never…" He didn't finish.

"Alright, how about this… we fine you, Zanan that is, one hundred Galleons instead?" Harry shrugged. "We'll have to report this to the Magical Law Enforcement and tell them we didn't see it as an attack and instead as more of a braw, which will result in only a fine. Now, if you'll forgive us, Harry, we have to ask that you not return to the Hog's Head until Mundungus is gone."

Harry turned to shoot a look towards Draco who understood immediately.

"And, you'll forgive us, Tonks, Kingsley, please."

Together, in an act so synchronized that it would be hard to believe they'd once been such bitter rivals, Draco and Harry drew their wands up, picked a target and cried, "_OBLIVIATE_!" A dazed look caught both of them, and Harry cast the spell on himself needed to return him to his form of Zanan.

"Goodbye then, Mr. Zanan, please be sure to pay your fine when the bill is sent to you." Tonks dazedly got up and moved toward the door –knocking over a table as she went- followed by Kingsley who seemed to have been hit a tiny bit harder.

"Goodbye," he replied roughly, and shut the door behind them. "Good Merlin, I made a right mess of things tonight. Perhaps we ought to go to The Three Broomsticks tomorrow night."

"I don't think 'we're' going anywhere Potter. You're staying home tomorrow; I can't have you blowing up if someone asks you about it. I won't be able to handle it there." Harry begrudgingly agreed. He was getting very tired.

Perhaps it would be best to retire for the night and examine his work on creating a Shield Spell capable of handling the Unforgivable Curses. Even if he'd managed to complete it, it would take a very powerful wizard to conjure it. Of course, he was a very powerful Wizard, if he did say so himself.

And he did.


	18. Chapter 18

_Disclaimer: Well, I still don't own it, sorry.

* * *

_

It had been three months since Harry had left Hogwarts, and Harry, as Zanan had been called in front of the head of the Unspeakables Department, of course, he spent every Saturday there, but still, this was for a very different reason. Behind him were Aberforth Dumbledore, or Varan, and Draco Malfoy, known as Marks.

"Well, Zanan, other than that hitch, you've kept yourself out of trouble over the past few months, and you've been doing a great job, not to mention you and Marks have improved productivity in this department since you arrived, and I recently had to let go of my Junior Head, and I want you to take his place. Also, I want Marks to take your place, that way, you two will have access to the Hall of Records and several other places your haven't had yet."

Harry took a deep breath, pushed a white hair from his eyes. "I accept, got no choice righ'," he replied softly.

"You do know this will mean you'll be with me in any meetings we might have, any interviews that might come our way, and probably the public eye will come to rest on you more than once or twice."

"I've never been in the public eye before, what's it like," the head of the department, Shethfeild, broke into a wide grin and then laughed.

"Sarcastic little guy, aren't you? I think you'll do just fine, boy, now go on, get out, all three of ya." Harry obeyed with a nod, and turned toward Draco and Aberforth and left the room. As soon as they did however, they were met with a large group of people outside the door, Brian Michaels among them.

"Congratulation, mate," Brian said patting him on the back. Harry was shocked to even see Draco grinning out of the corner of his eye. The crowd surrounded them and after many pats on the back, or handshakes, Draco and Harry managed to clamber out of the crowd and find Aberforth awaiting them outside the mess.

When they were out of earshot, Harry turned and whispered, "Draco, I'm Apparating to Hogwarts' gate and then going into the forest where spells can't be detected by the Ministry." Draco, perplexed, only nodded. "See you there," Harry finished then disappeared.

"I reckon I should follow, see you tomorrow," then Draco too disappeared with a snap.

* * *

When he arrived, he saw Potter nowhere and figured the boy had already taken off. Into the forest he headed, ignoring the sound of students, obviously having a lesson with that Half-Giant Hagrid. When he found Harry, not at all far into the Forbidden Forest, he was not in his disguise. Following his lead Draco cleared the disguise from his own body and turned to face Harry.

"What are you up to Potter?"

"Hit me, with the Cruciatis Curse. Really hit me, as hard as you can. I know you can do it."

He paused to examine the boy in front of him. He seemed crazed on the outside, his body was tight and was slid into an almost defensive position, his eyes were wildly examining the area around them and not too far off Draco could hear the class Professor Hagrid was teaching.

He wasn't sure he wanted to do this, the Draco that had attempted to murder Dumbledore was long gone, he'd been frightened into shape, and Harry's display of hatred in the Headmistress's office had helped that. "Come on Malferret, hit me." He knew the boy was just doing it to provoke him, and it worked.

"That's it, _crucio_!"

Off in the distance he heard the screams and then silence but didn't pay attention. Harry seemed to have muttered something, but nothing happened, instead the spell hit, and, in pain, he fell to the ground. Harry knew he was screaming, but couldn't stop it. As soon as the spell wore off, he jumped back to his feet. He could hear approaching footsteps now but didn't much care. "AGAIN _FERRET_," he exclaimed loudly.

"_Crucio!_" Again he could hear Harry mutter something incoherently and the spell fell on him, sending the Boy-Who-Lived to his knees this time. Once more the spell wore off after a series of a few seconds and Harry, growling, jumped to his feet.

"AGAIN!"

"_Crucio!_"

"Harry!" As the spell flew at him, an angry Harry saw a beautiful red haired girl at the edge of the Clearing of Blood. Anger seized him once more as the light flew toward him, and Harry slammed his wand upward.

"_Munio!_" A wall of pure white expanded from the ground, visibly taking particles of dirt and stone and mud with it. However, when it reached air, this too became white. The Cruciatus curse struck the shield, and then, with an explosion of every color in the rainbow dispersed in several directions. Some of the bits of the spell hit other students who had followed Ginny, but didn't affect them at all. The murmuring began, softly at first, then strongly.

"We've done it, Draco," Harry said, lowering his wand, causing the shield to die down. "We've created a shield that might be able to deflect all of the Unforgivables!"

"Well done, Potter," Draco replied, pocketing his wand. "However, never call me Malferret again."

"Agreed."

"Harry? Wha's goin' on 'ere?" Harry turned to Rubeus Hagrid with a grin.

"Saving lives professor. We just got back from Romania for a quick visit during the Winter holidays. Severely sorry to interrupt your lesson. Reall-" He had done a good job of bluffing.

"RUBEUS! We detected an Unforgivable, is everyone alright," there was the Potion's Professor, Slughorn, looking as if he had run all the way down from the castle, which meant that he looked pretty bad indeed. Slughorn was very large.

"Nothing's wrong, Professor," Harry assured him. "Draco cast the curse at me, so that I could test out our new shield. Professor, I've created a shield spell that can stand up to the Cruciatus Curse! If we're lucky… I think it could withstand the other two as well."

A thick silence had seized the people brave enough to follow Hagrid into the Forest, and then Harry felt himself pinned to the ground as Ginny leapt upon him, wrapping her arms around him. Laughing softly he hugged her back, tightly. His former fury and focus had evaporated with the curse, and he suddenly felt tired but happy.

"I think we're getting there Ginny, we really are."

Harry took a deep breath and cast himself to his feet. Ginny, now somewhat sedated stood opposite of him as he brushed a bit of dirt off of his shirt. He'd hidden his robes a ways back. Turning quickly he checked Draco and found that he too had done the same. "How's Romania," Ginny smiled up at him happily but he caught her wink.

The dissipating crowd, ushered off by Hagrid and Slughorn, began to separate them and Harry waved. "I'll stay for lunch if I can Gin," he turned now to Slughorn and Draco. "So, shall we, Draco? I believe we should make a report to the You-Know-What-Of-The-You-Know-What-Else." Seeing that his cheeky attempt at humor had fallen flat upon its face, Harry stalked past his former Potion's master and his roommate and began his ascent to the castle.

* * *

_ "You and Mr. Malfoy will go together to the Department of Mysteries." Dumbledore's portrait let this statement hang in the air, and Harry jumped to his feet._

_"Hell no!" Harry was suddenly angrier than he ever had been before. This portrait man was trying to make him work together with the person who had attempted to kill them both at one time or another, a Death Eater! "I'll not go back to that place, much less in the company of that scum."_

_The portrait remained silent and then took a deep breath. Harry found this amusing back in some corner of his mind, but couldn't express it for the anger tearing at him. "Harry, you can't change my mind on this."_

_"You can't force me to work with a Death Eater. He tried to kill you, remember? He tried to kill me in the bathroom last year too! Murder professor. He deserves nothing more or less than execution at my hands." Ginny's head whipped around in slight shock. Once more a statement came out of his mouth that reminded her painfully of the memory of Tom Riddle. _

_Harry turned to face the rather solemn looking Slytherin against the wall, his wand drawn, ignoring Dumbledore's protests which were growing ever louder. "I've killed before, Malfoy, I've killed your precious master's body. I'll kill you. I'll make you pay. And then that bloody Snape will know who he's dealing with." Draco Malfoy said nothing, merely looked downward. His wand was being pointed right between Malfoy's eyes, and still he did no more than whimper, his eyes closed._

_Ginny stood now and put her hand softly on his shoulder. Harry wrenched his arm free with a growl. That was the final straw for Ginny. The next thing he knew, Harry was backed against the wall right beside Draco, holding a hand to his face which was stinging like the dickens and redder than any Weasley blush. "Don't you dare push my hand away Harry Potter. You know who you're acting like?"_

_Harry bared his teeth in a subconscious snarl. "Who, Snape? Or perhaps Malfoy himself? Do I remind you of this Death Eater?"_

_"No, you're acting like Him, like Voldemort!" Harry stopped his movements, as if he'd just taken a nice shot between the legs or in the stomach. All sound was gone as he turned and looked toward Dumbledore. "How do we know we can trust him, Professor," Ginny asked._

_Before the portrait could answer, Draco mumbled something. Harry and Ginny turned, for two different reasons. Harry turned, and cast a large shield charm around he and Ginny on impulse believing he had heard an uttered spell. Ginny had turned to get a better look at the Death Eater. "What was that, Malfoy," Harry questioned with the same snarl curling his lip._

_"I turned in my father, my mother, and another Death Eater." Harry turned quickly to Dumbledore._

_"Is this true?"_

_The portrait man gestured to a small box at the back of the room and Harry moved to it. He opened the box and instantly let out a very snakelike hiss. Ginny saw Mareck and Rudra return the comment and watched as a short conversation ensued. Finally Harry let out a triumphant gleeful laugh and wrenched something from the box. Ginny saw a small form she used to see all the time, skirting around the house. Then, she had called it Scabbers. Harry held the petrified rat form of Peter Pettigrew in the air like a trophy. _

"_Please, give it the potion inside of the box." Harry complied and withdrew a vile of a milky white substance. "He won't be able to Apparate, and he has no wand with him." Raising the vile to the rat's mouth he tipped it in and then sat the glass vile down and did the same with the disgusting creature. Slowly, it began to change. The dark glossy stony look disappeared from the creature, and then it began to grow. Peter Pettigrew returned to human form only to be pinned to the ground seconds later and slammed with fist after fist._

_That had been so long ago.

* * *

_

After a brief meeting with Remus, Harry and Draco went down to the Great Hall, intending to sit at the teacher's table, though Harry slipped off to the Gryffindor table after a quicker conversation with McGonagall who claimed she might have some more information on Gryffindor's sword. Harry turned to the doors as they opened and Ginny sprinted in, followed closely by the Head Girl and Harry's best male friend. Ginny practically leapt into his arms once more and he held her, this time longer, savoring the feel of the one he had been away from for so long. Ginny watched Hermione lay two different Daily Prophet clippings in front of him.

**Ministry Unspeakable attacks Hogsmead Barman.**

and

**Department of Mysteries names a new Junior Head**

The Department of Mysteries' head investigator, Axe Zanan has been promoted to Junior head of department. After a controversial beginning to his career in the public eye, many people seem to believe Zanan has gotten back on track. Reports indicate that the Department of Mysteries has been operating much more efficiently under his eye and that of the Head of Deparment. For more see page 52. 

Harry furrowed his brow and pretended to be confused. "Oh come off it, Tonks and Kingsley told us," Ron hissed under his breath.

"Tonks says you need to work on your memory charms," Hermione agreed, but Harry, too caught up in the moment, cared little. He talked mostly in undertones with everyone about exactly how _Munio_ worked, though only Hermione truly understood it. Mostly Harry savored the feel of Ginny's hand in his.


	19. Chapter 19

_Disclaimer: I Don't Own Harry Potter!

* * *

_

"So the fact of the matter is, I _can_ combat all of the Unforgivable Curses. I designed the shield to draw stone and dirt fragments from wherever it is cast. The killing curse is negated by stone! The magic itself wouldn't be enough." Ginny increased her speed as they walked toward the library; Harry was desperately seeking a book before he had to return to the D.O.M.

It was actually as if he knew instantly where it was, he had seen pictures of it before, and had glimpsed it on the shelves. It had been directly referenced as a source for further information in a book he had finished only recently, and he desperately needed that information. He handed the Librarian a slip of paper allowing him into the restricted section and grabbed the book immediately. He randomly grabbed three others where the keyword jumped out at him. _Vision._

"Oh Harry, you're not trying to get rid of your glasses, are you? I absolutely adore them." Harry looked, up, seriously. The look seemed to startle Ginny, who sank a bit backwards.

He looked back down, sighed and quietly muttered, "I'm sorry, I've just been working a lot, jokes don't settle with me as well as they used to. No, I'm not getting rid of my glasses. I need to make it so I can see without looking. I need to see without looking,." he continued this mantra beneath his breath as he began scanning the pages.

"Why though?" asked Ginny, perplexed.

"Well, I don't have any magical polished shields to see the Gorgons in, if they ever come attack me, how in the world am I to see them to fight them. I-" suddenly, in the back of his mind, unbidden he felt something click.

_A glowering Hagrid stood up, facing the Dursleys. "Stop Lily an' James Potter's son goin' ter Hogwarts! Yer mad. His name's been down ever since he was born. He's off ter the finest school of witchcraft and wizardry in the world. Seven years there and he won't know himself." _

It was true, it was entirely true. Harry Potter no longer knew the little eleven year old who had witnessed a half giant breaking down the door of a small cabin. Was this change for good, or for ill? More importantly, why was he remembering this now?

The answer hit him.

"VOLDEMORT," he began to shove aside the books and stared down straight at the wooden table, ignoring Ginny's cries as he tried to focus on only the wood of the table leaving the man an image only of that, and not access to his memories.

_Voldemort was attacking his mind, even while he was in spectral form, for surely no sign that he had regained a body was evident. One never knew though, it might even be possible they had bound that final piece of soul back with the body and reattached the head. He recently found out that it was quiet possible to bring a body into true life even without a soul, though they were so close to an Inferi it was considered Dark Magic. He didn't reckon Voldemort would care about that. _

_  
Voldemort's attack on his mind lessened as Harry put up the final barrier, and then he felt the presence withdrawing. With reckless abandon, Harry plunged his consciousness forward. Harry Potter possessed Lord Voldemort. He felt struggling, violent painful struggling clawing at his consciousness, trying to reject it from the mind it was in now. Voldemort had acted very quickly in finding a follower to return him to a body, and even now was in one, the very same one that Harry had dueled in the Chamber it looked like. Cursing through Voldemort's mouth he opened his eyes. Harry, or more precisely Tom Riddle, was sitting in a dark room. He couldn't control much because he spent a lot of his concentration at remaining in, grasping the man, or creature's consciousness by the threads of his own. He saw the bodies of several Death Eaters being hauled off by other Death Eaters._

Apparently Voldemort had just completed an execution. Knowing that his brief stay was nearing its end, Harry plunged farther into the attacking consciousness and began examining every memory he could find.

He managed to examine over three days worth of activities. Taking it in full with him, he released his struggle against Voldemort and was cast back into his body, which threw itself backward, chair and all. A string of curse words he hadn't used since the episode with skelo-grow escaped his lips and he shook off Ron's hand from his arm as he stood. "Voldie's got himself a body." Huffing, he heard Ginny try to coax him out to the Hospital Wing but he shook his head.

"I'm leaving soon, and I'm going to spend the rest of the day with you guys." He closed his book and left it lying there. Leading the way, he exited the Library. "Voldemort killed some Death Eaters because Snape told him they'd been stealing gold from Voldemort's personal stash. Snape's doing just fine from what I could get. I'll make a report to McGonagall before I leave." The silence was irritating him; he could imagine their eyes boring into the back of his head. With a sigh he slowed down beside the statue of the humped back witch which hid a passage that lead to Hogsmead.

"I've been on edge haven't I? Well…." Silence. Silence. Bloody silence. "I'm sorry. Come on, how about we just hang out somewhere private. The kitchens will be good; Dobby and Kreacher will get us some food." Harry felt a pang of guilt for not seeing Kreacher in such a long time, and was instantly concerned for his own sanity. Then again, the house-elf had helped Harry, despite the fact that it broke several oaths. He wouldn't punish the elf, of course. Harry wasn't sure he would have survived without Ginny, he was quiet sure he'd lie dead in the chamber forever.

That wasn't all bad of an image. When he died, he wanted to be laid to rest in the chamber. He was sure the Room of Requirement could make that possible.

* * *

"So, Harry, tell us what else you've been up to."

The Room of Requirement currently reflected a stone chamber, not the Chamber of Secrets, of course, but a stone chamber. In the middle of the chamber sat a table and around it sat Harry, Hermione, Draco, Ron (who was incredibly uncomfortable next to the blonde Slytherin,) and Ginny.

"Draco and I've been doing some training, though we've spent several nights in St. Mungo's for it, we've become better duelers in the process wouldn't you say?" The blonde merely shrugged. He didn't much seem to like the presence of Harry's friends.

Harry, however, counted him as a friend. Perhaps it was an insane thing, a Death Eater, definitely he wasn't an angel, but he wasn't murdering people. He wasn't even backed into a corner which forced him to do or die anymore, except that he was constantly in disguise since he betrayed his master. Harry could sympathize with him on that note; he really had seen enough of Voldemort to guess what Draco's punishment would be like if he wasn't killed on the spot by a fellow Death Eater for betraying the Dark Lord.

Something clicked as he thought of this, and he smiled a smile larger than he had in a while, but it wasn't wholly a pure smile, in fact it was rather evil looking, enough to draw even an uncomfortable cough from Draco. He shook his head to clear the thought and store it for later and then said, "We got interested in a spell that… well, pulls apart one's soul."

Hermione's face broke into a frightened grimace and she drew back from the table, knocking over a candle. "That's far too dangerous, it's Dark," Harry was shocked at how quickly her fear had turned to anger and made a conscious effort to lean back a few inches as she leaned forward over the table, expecting to be smacked right across the face.

"It's what we need to do to destroy the horcruxes," argued Draco, and she instantly got quiet.

"And when I meet Voldemort, I will cast Avada Kedavra on him, and then, he will no longer be. I will be a legend forever, sadly, but so will all of you, you understand what I have to do, and why, don't you, Gin," he asked, turning his gaze to the redhead. He needed her assurance that he wasn't imagining how heavy the situation had gotten since the funeral of Albus Dumbledore.

Just as she opened her mouth to answer, Rudra and Maleck both spoke up in unison. "_Someone is at the door master_!" Harry leapt to his feet as a banging came from the door.

"Harry! It's Neville!"

Harry flung his hand out to the door and began focusing his thought on the door opening; this in turn made the room admit Neville. "Harry, you have got to run now!" The boy was shaking like Harry hadn't seen since the fourth year lesson with the imposter Moody.

Harry brought a hand up to the boy's shoulder, gripped it hard and said, "Why?"

"The Ministry is sending someone after you; they want to take you into custody!"

Harry leapt toward the table where he had set his wand after lighting the candles. Hermione spoke first, "Why is that?"

"They want to put you on trial for that night in the Chamber. They think you killed someone else, then transfigured his body to look like You-Know-Who's to get off the hook of murdering someone. You-Know-Who is already doing damage around the Ministry and making attacks, they want to take you in, they want to lock you up, and you've got to go!"

Harry cursed loudly and motioned toward Draco. "We've got to go now. Let's move!" Draco stood, swiped a blond lock from his eyes and took off out the open door, Harry followed.

"Harry," called Ginny, "you better write me!"

Harry and Draco made it to the front doors of Hogwarts in record time and thrust them open with a combined spell from the ends of their wands. Even from there they could see a small group of people marching toward the castle, probably Aurors. "This scares me, Draco, I'll admit it, a lot worse than the Training Day."

_Zanan and Marks stood, directly in front of the veil. "We put all of the new recruits through this. If you can't stand this, you won't be able to stand the job here." The veil waved back and forth tauntingly, and they found themselves staring at it. _

"_I've stood this once," Zanan said with a growl. _

_The Head of the Department of Mysteries flexed his wand and the veil billowed forward. "Brace yourselves boys, the sight you see will be different for each of you, but will be the worst thing you'll ever see." With another wand movement the veil was raised, and Harry and Draco saw their own true horrors. _

_A cliff over an ocean was what Harry saw, but three sets of hands were clutching the edge of the cliff and scrambling for something to grab hold of further up on land. Every few seconds the heads of the three would bob upward, and finally Harry saw who they belonged to. Though the skin was torn in random places, the first face belonged to Sirius Black. "HARRY! HARRY!" The screech was unexplainable torture to his ears, and Harry, also known as Zanan, struggled to remain in place. The next set of hands pushed down hard and thrust its body upward. James Potter scrambled to climb upward, but only kept sliding down. He too was calling his son's name. _

_The third came into view again and Harry knew at once the mane of red hair belonged to his mother. "Harry, honey, please, please save us," her voice pleaded. He tried to look away, at Draco or something else but was unable to turn his head. Suddenly with a burst of energy he thrust himself forward, ready to grab onto his mother and Sirius' hands, drag them up first since they seemed to have less energy than his father, but the moment he crossed the threshold the scene melted away, and he felt a hand on the neck of his robes. _

"_You idiot, why would you try jumping into the Veil," Draco, as Marks, pinned him to the ground. _

"_M-My parents, let me help them!" _

"_No lad, it was a fake." _

"Don't be such a wimp, Potter, we can take them," then Draco Malfoy shot out into the night.

"That's not the- WAIT UP MALFOY!"


	20. Chapter 20

_Disclaimer: I don't own HP.

* * *

_

In unison he and Draco disappeared through the forest, losing their pursuers while laughing like children. It felt so good to be laughing! Harry flexed his wand silently and summoned their Ministry robes to his hands. "Dissaparate, Draco." As soon as he passed out the command, he disappeared from the boundaries of Hogwarts.

They reappeared together in their apartment, laughing still. Without taking a break from his enjoyment he cast the spell to return them to the identities of Marks and Zanan. Harry –who was happy to be Zanan once more- turned his wand on the kitchen area and summoned a bottle of mead to them. "Come on, so I'm wanted by the Ministry for murder, but let me tell you something else, if Tonks and Shacklebolt decide to betray us and I get taken in, I'm going in drunk, so," he conjured up a pair of glasses. "Down the hatch."

Filling one and handing it to the man next to him, Harry began to drown himself in mead, not commenting on the fact that Draco hadn't replied to him. It was long into the night before a knock on the door alerted a very inebriated Harry and a slightly buzzed Draco that things could be ready to get dangerous. "Who is it?" asked Draco harshly, in Marks' voice.

"Remus, Tonks and Kingsley let us in quick," Harry drew his wand even as Draco opened the door. When no spells were released, the three stepped in and shut it.

"We just got back from the school, Harry," Tonks said. "You're not in a good position, but as it is, the Ministry wants to send you a letter of apology."

"W-what," asked Harry, stumbling over the word.

"He's a little drunk," Draco said softly, also gripping his wand.

Tonks quickly launched into her story. "The Ministry did a test on the body of Voldemort which said it was actually a fake transfigured, but they did it again, a few minutes after they sent out Aurors to Hogwarts and it came out negative."

"W-w-wait a second, the Ministry still has the body," Tonks nodded and after a few seconds Remus finally drew a breath and spoke.

"I saw it myself," he looked pale, and Harry couldn't say he was shocked; it was two days after full moon after all. However, the fact that Voldemort's current body was not the one he thought it was caused Harry to rethink his whole theory on exactly what Voldemort was up to, and how he managed to operate now. Of course, it also made him have to figure out how Voldemort found another body.

"Then that means Voldemort has found a way to make another body… already." Harry launched into an explanation of the events in the Hogwarts library and how he had been convinced Voldemort had taken his soul back into the body that had risen from the cauldron in the graveyard. "That mean's this one isn't a strong, unless… unless they've taken blood from the old body."

"Quiet possible, several people have been near it, and some of them were suspected Death Eaters." Harry told the rest next, about possessing the Dark Lord himself, and this seemed to worry Remus to a degree that Harry didn't think anything short of Voldemort on his doorstep could. "Remarkable," was the only thing Kingsley would say on the matter.

"S-so, the Ministry wants to send me a letter of apology, and of course, they think-"

"You're in Romania with Charlie Weasley, who by the way, is running out of excuses to blow off reporters." Remus seated himself on the couch and grimaced. "Why don't you make an appearance at the Ministry, you know, to talk to Scrimegour," Remus suggested, but Harry shook his head.

"I've just been promoted head at the Department of Mysteries, I've got to go to work tomorrow, and the next day, and the next, I've not got time to be making publicity appearances, Remus, and shouldn't you be back at Hogwarts?" Remus nodded and then remained in a thoughtful silence.

A moment later he looked up, "I've got a plan." Remus launched into an explanation; they'd let the letter go to Charlie's place in Romania, he would tell Remus to tell Harry exactly what it said, then Harry would write a return letter if it was deemed necessary and pass it via floo to Charlie who would send it out from his house, in case the Ministry tried to track where the delivering owl had come from. It covered most of the bases and the Ministry would have to be monitoring floo networks for something to go wrong, which they weren't.

"It sounds like a lot of work when we could just make it seem that I ignored it at all and Charlie could pitch it into the fire, thus saving us all a lot of grief." This, he thought, was a pretty straightforward way of covering the bases as well.

Draco argued against him now. "You don't understand politics at all, do you? If there's anything my father taught me, it was how to deal with the goons at the ministry. If you don't write back, or in some other manner reply to them, they'll only get angrier and angrier, and they'll do every little thing possible to combat you in every turn of your life, even if it is something as simple as getting a new home. That's why you _will_ write them back if you want to survive long enough to fight the Dark Lord, let's not even think about beating him."

Harry, angrily rose to his feet once more, and stumbled toward the door to his room. "I'm going to bed. Then we'll see what I'll do, when I've got to do it, won't we?" Harry slammed the door shut behind him, leaving a Death Eater, two Aurors and the Deputy Headmaster of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry alone.

"This won't end well," Remus sighed. Draco had to agree with the werewolf, and after the three had left, he sat down. Unbidden he began to remember, to think about the reason he was sticking with Potter. _It's because I'm a coward, isn't it, that, and now I owe him a debt._

_ "No lad, it was a fake."_

_Harry pushed Draco off of him and grabbed hold of the man's head, turning it toward the inside of the veil. "DOES THAT LOOK FAKE?"_

_Draco was about to force himself to turn back when he double took. Instead of blackness, as he had seen before, he could see them, his parents, in the midst of a whole group of Death Eaters, fighting with tooth and nail. Without a second thought to the warning the man had given them earlier, Draco Malfoy too leapt toward the veil, and that's when its spell left Harry. _

_Though he felt Harry pulling him back away, Draco continued struggling forward, he had to save his parents at all and any cost, they would die if he didn't. The voice in the back of his head haughtily reminded him that they had already died, but he didn't listen. How could they be dead and standing right in front of him? "MOTHER! FATHER!" He jumped forward, and that's when it happened. _

_All at once, he wasn't moving toward the battle, he was being drawn in, but some force greater than he. Nothing mattered, nothing. He had to save his mother and father at all costs. Wand drawn, he passed over the line, into the veil. A voice from behind him said something he couldn't catch, but he still didn't care. He was drawing closer to the battle scene. _

_Suddenly, it was gone. All Draco saw was blackness, and as the spell lifted he turned, and saw the veil moving downward, like the mouth of a monster swallowing its prey. He saw Harry, his wand tip alight with a string of gold trailing from it to himself, and he saw his new boss's utter shock at his stupidity, and knew it was over. Then, with a grunt of effort loud enough to alert several sentries throughout the Department, Harry Potter pulled back and hauled his old in-school nemesis from the depths of Death herself. _

_Shaking violently, Draco collapsed outside of the veil, and Harry cut the line. "It's alr- alright Marks, we're alright now," Harry said, reassuringly as he pulled the man to his feet. "Our folks are gone, but we'll deal with that." Draco, who had finally regained his composure, turned and disappeared from the room._

"I owe Potter, there's no denying that," Draco said to himself, taking a drink of water. After they'd left he had put his roommate's alcohol away and -determined to avoid the mother of all hangovers- decided to stick to some cool water. He looked into the fireplace and as the flames danced in front of his eyes, trying to think of a way out of Harry's predicament.

Lupin's plan was a good one, and Draco made a note to remember that the werewolf was a good thinker in tight places. Harry however, wasn't such, and that's why Draco was even thinking along these lines. The fact of the matter wasthat he had no choice but to make Harry go along with the man's will. Draco grew tired after a while and lay his head back on the couch, slowly fading into sleep.

And he dreamed. T'was a queer dream…

_Bellatrix Lestrange lay dead. _

"_Inan!" Harry Potter muttered. His whole body began to convulse, and he slowly slid to his knees as if in a great pain, or covered by a great weight. His wand tip flared bright green and he turned, pointing his wand at a golden Snitch in Draco's hand. Its wings stopped fluttering as soon as the next cry was uttered. "**Abstineo**!" Harry Potter collapsed to the floor and didn't move again. _

Draco woke with a start and flung himself forward off the couch. With a groan as he hit his head, he moved to his feet and lowered himself back down on the couch. What a nightmare. His aunt's dead body, some spells he couldn't even begin to identify, nor grasp the meaning of, a still snitch, and most of all, it seemed Harry had died right after that, for surely his breathing had stopped completely. What seemed scariest to Draco, as he sat on the dark couch, amidst a few candles, was that he had no idea where they had been.

What a nightmare.

* * *

Harry rose to his feet the next morning, a hangover obscuring his senses. He and Draco ate a silent breakfast. Neither seemed to be in the talking mood, with Harry it was because of the sense of dread overtaking him, and Draco, well it was for the same reason. The same silence hung between them as they, dressed in their Ministry robes, with the names "Zanan" and "Marks" stitched into them, and as they each stepped into their fireplace together, their destination being the main lobby of the Ministry of Magic. 

The fireplace flared open at the Ministry and expelled the two Unspeakables. 'Zanan' as it were, stumbled forward and bumped into another Ministry official. "Oh, Arthur," he said, unable still to get over using his first name. "How are the children?"

Arthur smiled at Zanan and said, "They're fine, Ron's taking a weekend job here as an intern in my department, the twins are booming with their shop, Ginny's receiving top marks everywhere! By the way, an odd thing happened, she mentioned you in a letter she sent home." Harry cursed silently, _Ginny!_

"Yes, well, I was, shall we say, on business at Hogwarts, and came across your daughter. She'd stumbled over herself, and I gave her a hand back into the castle. Told her I knew you," he smiled at his own lie and Arthur Weasley brightened a bit.

"Well, she said to tell you congratulations on your promotion, it was all over the Prophet," Harry nodded absentmindedly as Draco finally seized his robes and wrenched him away from the man.

"You can't be conversing with Harry Potter's girlfriend's father in public; much less say you were at Hogwart's when you weren't," Harry shrugged.

"I'll send an owl to Remus later. I did find out Ron'll be here on weekends."


	21. Chapter 21

_Disclaimer: If you think I own Harry Potter, you're a dunce.

* * *

_

Harry hunched over the book at the table. Draco had gone with the rest of the guys to the Hogs Head after work, and had yet to return, Harry, however was banned from it until such time as his Great-great-uncle decided to return to work (Varan had stopped coming around the Department after a few weeks) and thus opted to return to the quarters and continue studying the Soul-Ripping spell. He wanted to know how it was that both the caster and the victim were able to look into the astral plane when the spell was cast.

It was a thoroughly interesting subject, everything having to do with the astral world. There were some spells that would allow you to become your astral form which were paired with spells that kept your body temporarily alive without a soul. Your astral form couldn't stray three hundred meters away though or all control would be relinquished and it would be returned to your body, though your ability to do magic would be greatly lessened for a while. There were other versions of this, most of which involving blood sacrifices and the like and thusly were considered Dark Arts.

Harry, who had strayed into the Dark Arts before, made a vow to never lower himself into using any of those, and stuck with the first spell, which would allow him to legally accomplish this task. Then there was his other main interest, which was finding a way to allow himself to see without his eyes open. This, however, he had already spent much time debating on and had located a spell. However, he had yet to study it. Pushing aside the first book, he pulled a second even older black leather bound book with gold writing on it. He opened the book to a pre-marked page.

**Close-eyed vision**

_Inspicio_

_Inspicio is a spell that allows you to implant astral eyes onto an object, thus allowing you to connect the nerves in your body that would open your eyes to make them open the 'eyes' on the object so you would see from it's point of view. _

Short, sweet, and to the point.

And just what he needed to boot.

Harry read on for almost an hour more, studying the spell in a second book. Suddenly, his concentration was broken. "Alright Potter," Harry jumped to his feet. He turned so quickly that he almost lost balance and found Draco standing behind him. "A duel, come on!" Harry, who hadn't had a proper duel in a while, was quick to accept, despite the thick obscuring fog of a hangover. Why not try out his new spell?

Standing back to back, Harry and Draco silently waved their wands, clearing the room of all obstacles. After a moment's inspection, they began to take ten paces. At his silent count of ten, Harry rounded on Draco, closed his eyes and pointed his wand at the ceiling. _Inspicio,_ he thought.

After a moment where Draco, confused, hadn't attacked, Harry tried to open his eyes. It was a success, he could now look down on the rest of his body, however, it left him shaking in trying to take a step forward as his mind tried to counteract his body. "Well, come on Draco," he hissed, "let's not wait for the grass to grow."

Draco didn't waste anymore time. He waved his wand in an equally silent manner and a flash of red flew from the tip. Harry tried to dodge left, but in his mind's confusion, fell to the ground, the stunner hitting the wall harmlessly. Harry forcefully made his legs go under him and stood again. Again he saw Draco's confusion but his silence. Harry raised his wand and pointed it at Draco. _Restriegue!_

A score of ghostly brushes suddenly began to scrub at Draco, and Harry knew from experience that this sensation he was feeling right about then would be distinctly uncomfortable. In the moment of confusion it caused Draco Harry racked his brain for a quick spell, light, or 'dark' and thought, _Tarrantellegra! _Draco, freshly clear of the brushes swung his wand upward.

"_Munio!_" The spell bounced off the shield, diffusing into smaller pieces and hitting the walls of the room. Harry turned his 'eyes' on Draco whose look of confusion was gone, replaced by a distinctly uneasy look, one Harry couldn't really figure out. Harry turned and began to cast another series of spells that Draco was getting worse and worse at dodging. Harry knew that if he kept his barrage up, the boy would get clipped with a spell, and Harry could end the duel.

"_Reducto! Reducto!__Incendio!" _Each spell missed, but only barely, just as Harry went to cast another, he was hit by one of Draco's, causing him to hit the wall behind him hard, shattering a mirror behind him. Harry looked up, expecting a spell to be flying at him.

Draco brought his wand up and pointed it at Harry. His spell was a mumble, and whatever it was did nothing whatsoever, because Draco repeated the mumble twice and looked curiously at his wand. Harry, rather perturbed by this display redoubled his enthusiasm. He pulled a mirror shard from the back of his own skull painfully.

_Levicorpus,_ and with this thought, Harry watched Draco shoot up into the air by his ankle. The duel was his.

"Alright, let me down, Potter." Harry flexed his wand once more _Liberacorprus,_ and Draco fell to the ground managing a semi-graceful roll to a standing position.

"What was that about," Harry asked after a moment of silence, still looking down at Draco from the cieling.

"What was what," Draco looked confused, yet nervous.

"You tried a spell twice and it did nothing!"

Draco's head snapped upward, his face turning red. "How did you see that, your eyes were closed," Harry pointed to the approximate position of his 'eyes' on the ceiling.

"My eyes are up there. And on that note…" he raised his wand, closed his ceiling eyes, and said, "_Finite Incantatem, _I won't have to look at those Gorgons to fight them now, I might be able to find a way to beat them. I just have to find a way to remove their eyes. I would try C_onjunctiva, _but I'm not so sure it'd work on them. Just call it a hunch."

"Could you try _adseroanima _on them? We can us it like a test run for when we find a Horcrux, whenever that shall be," Harry hummed silently.

"I could try, but speculation is that they don't _have _souls." Then he sighed and with one broad sweep of his wand summoned all the furniture back into place, allowing himself to move over and sink down onto the couch. Next he pulled each shard of mirror from his head piece by piece before repairing the mirror. "We need to find those Horcruxes soon too; He-Who-Has-No-Brain is wreaking havoc on the Ministry, now will you heal those cuts for me?"

Draco took a long, hard look at him, as if examining his sanity "He-who-?"

Harry smiled softly. "It's something Gin used to call him, a long time ago."

Draco silently raised his wand and healed his partner's cuts. He could see Harry was in some mental pain as well as physical.

Harry, as Zanan continued studying each night after work, and continued going alone to the Three Broomsticks, including during a Hogsmeade weekend where he spotted Ginny and Hermione sitting alone at a table in the back. He'd kept his eye on them, and as soon as he'd found a dark alleyway, had turned back into Harry and returned to spend the day with them.

Together they'd gone to the Shrieking Shack out of pure boredom and Harry had talked with them while repairing the inside of the old building. He wouldn't be sure why he had done it when he looked back, but it was kind of like a testament to where he'd first met Sirius.

He recalled their first meeting of Sirius to Ginny as he worked, and even showed her the room it'd taken place in, repairing the bed and door that had been damaged, and cleaning the bloodstains that had accompanied the meeting.

But his life wasn't just trips to Hogsmeade and work. Zanan had indeed begun to fall under public eye, and he'd been in several meetings with the Minister himself, during which his dislike for the man grew exponentially. Scrimegour really was scum, but nowhere near as bad as Fudge had been, at least he was trying to get rid of Voldemort.

Harry and Draco made a public appearance several weeks later, as Harry and Draco, not Zanan and Marks. "It really has been a nice visit, Minister, but we left some jobs unfinished in Romania, and we are very tired," Harry, who was indeed tired,— of dealing with the Minister— took a deep breath, "By the way, how would I get a pass to visit a prisoner in Azkaban?"

The Minister became incredibly flustered looking; indeed Harry didn't think the former Head of Aurors should become quite so flustered. After a long moment, he said, "There'll be no need. We've reviewed his case, and we will be setting Stan Shunpike free at midnight." It couldn't be clearer to Harry that Rufus had made this decision on the spur of the moment. However, Harry could tell that no matter how sudden of a decision it had been, he would keep his word and release what was left of Stan at midnight. If the man wasn't insane by now, he might file complaints against the Ministry.

Harry might find it in him to back the man up as well.

For now, however he had to go. In front of a group of reporters, he shook hands with Scrimegour, as did Draco -very reluctantly- and they then Apparated off. Back in the quarters, Harry cast the spell and returned himself to the image of Zanan, which he had begun to get attached to. He could now go out in public without drawing as large of a crowd, though he was still well noticed, Junior Head of the Department of Mysteries wasn't a position you could hold and be passed over.

"I'm tired, we've visited Scrimegour, gotten an idiot out of Azkaban and I've got scratches all over me from our duel last night. I'd rather just go to bed." Harry shrugged as the man went into his room and shut the door. Harry himself picked up the Prophet, lit a couple of candles with a flick of his wrist and began to skim it.

Something caught his eye in the add section.

**Dueling tournament**

_There will be a large dueling tournament open to everyone from ages 17 upward in England in two time. Signup with Ludo Bagman in the Department of Magical Games and Sports. _

At first, he was going to put it down, but then something prodded him in the back of his mind, and a plan began to form. "Draco," Harry yelled quickly. After hearing a noise, Harry turned and saw Draco, as Marks open the door to his room.

"What is it," Harry grinned at the annoyed look on his roommate's face.

"Get dressed and out of your disguise, we're going back to the Ministry." He threw the paper to Draco, who took one look at it then looked at Harry, obviously confused. A moment later, Draco Malfoy's eyes widened. His face grew indignant.

"You're not- wait, it's the bloody boy-who-lived, of course you are." Draco disappeared back into his room for a moment.


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: I don't own it.

* * *

With a snap, the Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports woke and looked up. It took him a long while to recognize who he was looking at, for it had been three long years since he had last seen the man in person. "Ahh, hello Mr. Potter!" Ludo Bagman looked much the same as ever. The same childish grin adorned his face and he stood with a sense of rush to shake Harry and then Draco's hands. "Well, what can I do for you boys?"

Harry pleasantly dropped into a seat and leaned forward, his elbows on the table in front of him, and Draco sat beside him. "We want to enter into the Duel tomorrow… what do we sign and where?"

Bagman perked up, and gained a slightly malicious looking glint in his eyes. Harry could almost see… Under the table he raised his wand, i Legilmens /i .

At the forefront of his mind came a mental image of Bagman filling out a form to make a large bet on him to win the tournament. Harry had to hold back a grin at the man's obvious lack of knowledge that his mind had been attacked. This was Harry's first time trying Legilmency on anyone but Draco, and he was more than happy to find out that he had also gained Voldemort's adroitness in the ability to examine minds.

"Really, absolutely fascinating, well, one moment," Ludo, wiping the sleep from his eyes –for he had been sleeping- dug through a pile of paper on his desk and presented them each with a form they filled out almost automatically and returned them to the man. Harry laughed silently at the man when he bent down to look over the forms and then stored them safely at the bottom of a stack of papers.

"It's been nice seeing you again, that's for sure. Don't bet too much in one place." Harry smiled at the man in a reassuring manner and then, without saying anything else, Dissaparated. Draco turned to look, confused, then shrugged. He too then returned to the quarter to find Harry already bent over the Prophet again, his robes off, his disguise on, and a glass of mead in his hand.

"Just one glass," Draco said warningly.

"I'm not a drunk, Draco, I can restrain myself, if I wish too. That, and this is the last glassful in the house. I'm probably going to the Broomsticks to buy some from Rosmerta tomorrow." He smiled and then frowned as memories of Rosmerta came back.

"Tell me something, Draco, if we were to go somewhere I know to be off rating of the ministry or anyone else, could you attempt to control me with the Imperious? I resisted Crouch when he used it on me, but Voldemort," Draco flinched and Harry ignored it graciously, "Managed to force me right off. The more practice I have resisting it, the better."

Before Draco could answer, a loud screech filled the air and the door to their room opened. Instinctively, Harry cast the charm and changed Draco back into Marks, but no one entered. Another moment later and a voice erupted throughout the whole building.

"**Creature attack at the Ministry, all personnel assemble**." For the third time that night, Draco and Harry Apparated into the Ministry of Magic, this time they were under disguise and in work robes.

The Atrium was alive with sound, mainly cries of fear, and the inhuman screeches of something Harry couldn't place. He looked around, and all he saw were statues. Where had all the statues come from?

The screeches stopped and a deep voice rumbled, "**I smell his blood, attack sister! Attack!**" Cursing his own stupidity, Harry realized what was going on.

"Draco, the spell is _Inspicio_, close your eyes, cast it on the ceiling, and get ready to duel."

Without explaining anything else, he followed his own instructions, and once again saw himself in third person view. Draco's eyes too were closed, and he stumbled around a few feet to Harry's left. There were no other Humans around… they were all solid stone. "And lose the disguise."

Harry cleared himself of his disguise, and then began to take a three-sixty inventory of the room from his spot on the ceiling. That's when he spotted them.

Two tall women stood at the edge of the Atrium, their skin was stony, and looked harder that brick, and their hair, it seemed each individual piece of hair was a writhing snake, hissing and standing straight from their head. They were so terrifying that it took all Harry had to get his eyes off of them. "Behind you, Draco." Carefully he turned himself around –while watching Draco fall attempting to do the same- and raised his wand on the Gorgons.

"**Why don't they turn to stone, Sister**?"

"Because, their eyes are closed, you beasts!" A new voice had been added to the conversation, one Harry recognized, but couldn't connect with its master. From nowhere it seemed, had come the voice of Godric Gryffindor. "Harry Potter, get ready." It seemed to come from nowhere like the voice, but Harry saw a blade quickly fly out of the nearest fireplace and thrust his hand up to catch it. His coordination was definitely improved.

In his hand the sword felt so perfect that he began to know, every move, every maneuver, every step the last wielder of the sword used when he fought with it. Harry's eyes swiveled once more to try and find Godric Gryffindor, but he couldn't, and the incredibly terrifying and angry Gorgons, maneuvering around the many stone wizard and witches, were getting closer.

"Thank you, Lord Gryffindor," He said with a grin.

Harry, focusing hard to keep his balance, dashed forward and thrust his sword toward one of the Gorgons who had just stepped around the petrified version of an auror. Harry plunged the blade forward and found that it bounced right off the arm of the Gorgon. So, that much of the old tales were true. "Tell me," he said, "what is your name?"

As the creature twirled with her next punch, Harry, acting as if on impulse, like something on autopilot, turned to meet it with his blade. "I am Stheno, and I shall be your bane!" Harry saw, however that directly behind him was Euryale. He ducked as both she and her sister swung their large stony fists, and heard the resulting collision. Draco, he saw, had finally regained his footing and was cursing objects to build a sort of fence around them, so that no late arrivals would get caught in the trap. Harry saw the brilliance of this plan.

"Hold on for just a little longer, Harry Potter, help is on the way!" Again there was Godric Gryffindor's voice.

Harry pulled his wand from his pocket with his left hand and yelled, "_Accio_!" From behind Stheno flew a poker from the mantle on one of the fireplaces, which struck her in the back, allowing him to rise to his feet and curse Euryale. He was more than relieved to see that, no matter how thick their hide, they were still susceptible to magic, unlike Dragons. Euryale froze in place, and Harry rolled out of the way of another attack.

Stheno's fist connected with Euryale, and Harry laughed as he saw this. He rolled once more to his left and cast a spell on his robes, which transfigured into a large blanket. He threw it over Stheno and then rapped both of her felt in a Trip jinx. The Gorgon tripped backward, the poker from before not only got stuck in her back but came clean through. Harry laughed as she struggled with the poker. He was no longer a defenseless child. He was a man.

Draco had begun to regain coordination. Silently he waved his wand toward Stheno, who looked down as the ground beneath her began to turn to liquid. After she had sunk a couple of inches into the ground, Harry returned the stone floor to its natural state just as Euryale broke free from his jinx.

He swung Gryffindor's sword with all the expertise of a champion and slammed the tip straight into the right eye of the Gorgon, which burst easily. It seemed that at least the eyes were as weak as a human's. She flung a fist forward which connected perfectly with his stomach and sent him flying back. Before he could hit the wall he was stopped in midair, and he swiveled his 'eyes' around to see Draco pointing his wand at his body and lowering him back to his feet. Harry flashed a smile before returning to his attack. A loud cracking noise from a ways behind him told him that Stheno had broken free, and a series of ancient and rather dark curses from Draco told him that they were engaged in a duel. Again, Harry ran at the thrashing Euryale, and again he was caught in the gut with a fist, but not before slamming not his sword, but his wand right into her eye and screeching out, "_ENGORGIO_!"

The eye swelled in its socket as Harry landed on the ground and he took aim. He threw the blade into the now giant eye of the Gorgon who screeched and fell back. Harry summoned the blade back to his hand as he saw Draco fall to the ground somewhere in his 'eyes' line of vision. However, when he saw the boy get right back up, he jumped forward toward the thrashing Euryale, blocked two blows to the head with the sword and thrust it right into the stony skin of her forehead. The next blow got Harry in the gut, slamming him against the wall of Draco's fence. With one more screech that was too high for Harry to hear, the Gorgon thrust him up into the air, slamming him against the ceiling before hitting the ground.

Stheno, outraged at her sister's death, released the hold she had just gotten on Draco and ran for Harry. Harry blast his way through Draco's makeshift fence and grabbed Godric's sword on his way out. He heard her large, lumbering steps behind him for a moment, then he didn't. When he looked over from the ceiling toward his running body, she was flying behind him. Harry quickly cast an intangibility charm, and disappeared through the floor. As it wore off and he landed on his feet, he heard the crack of the roof above him and saw Stheno moving through the hole. He continued to run now, but she was so close he could feel the power radiating off of her.

There was another problem. He couldn't see himself anymore.

He had left his eyes up on the main floor. Harry Potter was traveling blind.

On the Atrium floor, he saw Draco leap through the hole in the floor and take off after him, at the same time casting the _inspicio_ spell on his own robes. Harry cursed. He should have done that.

"**DRACO, MY EYES ARE ON THE FIRST FLOOR, I NEED YOU TO GUIDE ME!" **

From far behind him he heard Draco grunt, and then scream, "YOU'RE COMING TO THE VEIL!" Harry grinned, it was as he planned. Now he could hear them, over Stheno's yelling even, the whispers of those behind the veil. Harry ran toward the noise, still seeing only the chaos of what was left of the Atrium, quiet a few people had begun to turn back, while still others hadn't. Suddenly he saw a fireplace burst to life, and saw Ginny Weasley, Hermione Grainger, Ron Weasley, and the furry orange Crookshanks shoot from the fireplace, bypassing all of the many people, (petrified and otherwise) while moving directly toward the hole in the floor. He saw them fall through.

"VEIL IS FIFTEEN FEET FROM YOU, HARRY! IT'S OPENING!"

Another yell came, and Harry recognized the owner of this voice. Brian. Though Harry couldn't see it, he would soon learn all about what happened next. As Harry leapt out of the way to let the veil begin to suck in the Gorgon, Brian removed his invisibility cloak and thrust himself at the beast's back, shoving it forward even more. The screeching Gorgon turned, and locked gazes with Brian, who turned immediately to stone before it was swallowed whole by the Veil.

However, the screeches didn't grow any quieter, and Harry soon heard what sounded like the creature returning through the veil. This had never happened before, ever, something coming back through it. Other than voices. Voices… that was it. Maybe some of the past victims could hold down the Gorgon.

"SIRIUS! SIRIUS THERE IS EVIL BEHIND THE VEIL, HOLD IT! HOLD IT AND LET IT DIE!" Harry didn't know why he thought this would work, it was insanity, what if Sirius couldn't even hear him? What if he couldn't do anything about it.

"You've got it!" The voice was like music to his ears. The screeching grew louder, but the sound of footsteps had stopped. It seemed, the most coherent thing he'd ever heard come from the veil, wasn't a hallucination. In fact, he could hear more.

Faintly, he could hear what was going on in the Veil.

----------------


	23. Chapter 23

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

* * *

_

"_James, help me hold it back, Harry needs us!" _

_James Potter grabbed hold of the writhing beast, and soon so did Lily Potter. Together with several of the few remaining 'alert' spirits of the Veil, they began to pull, to tug. However, it was beyond their abilities, they were mere ectoplasm. Sirius and James gripped tighter, but the beast slammed forward. _

_Lily was thrown off; backward toward the abyss that all of the people who passed into the veil went into when whatever keeping them connected to the world was done. James gave a yell of pure anguish as he saw his wife's spirit disintegrate. He knew, even in this life beyond life, that she was now gone to him, forever. _

_In his moment of weakness, the beast broke free and flew off toward the open veil. "NO!"

* * *

_

Harry, took a deep breath and screamed, "_FINITE INCANTATEM_," his eyesight returned, and as he saw something protruding from the veil, he cast the Inspicious Charm on his robes, much as Draco had done, and prepared to face the Gorgon again.

It was the Gorgon, but it wasn't just the Gorgon.

Harry yelled at the top of his lungs and thrust both his wand and sword at the eyes of the screaming creature as it grabbed at him, and felt each delicate organ burst. He swung the sword again, and it landed squarely against the neck of the Gorgon, and then flew cleanly through it. Harry landed on the ground in unison with the blade and head. He felt two sets of strong hands pull him up, but lost consciousness before he could feel more.

Harry's glasses hadn't broken, and were set upon his eyes, so that when he next opened them, he clearly saw from his own head, his own eyes, several forms above him, and one of them was badly bleeding. Harry released the head of Stheno and sat up suddenly. His mind was drawing so many blanks he couldn't even understand why he was where he was.

Then everything in his head clicked and Harry almost blacked out again. Above him were Kingsley Shacklebolt, Godric Gryffindor, Salazar Slytherin, Draco Malfoy, Ginny Weasley, Ron Weasley, Hermione Grainger, Rowena Ravenclaw, Nymphadora Tonks and… _James Potter and Sirius Black_. Harry looked around dazed, and just this action made him turn over, scattering the small crowd a bit as he emptied his stomach. Brian also stood a ways away looking as if he had just figured out the answer to a riddle he had long been pondering.

He said nothing for a long time, and neither did anyone else. "Get up," Sirius said after a few minutes, and grabbed Harry's outstretched hand to haul him to his feet. Harry immediately swayed and was supported by Slytherin and Gryffindor. Harry turned to look for Gryffindor's sword and frowned.

"It-it's broken, I'm sorry sir, I- I didn-"

Godric shook his head. "It has done its job and can finally be laid to rest, however I think you should keep these, Harry, they're ours, after all." Godric let go of him, bent down over the handle of the broken blade and drew the rubies from each hole, he cupped them for a moment, as if savoring the feel of them in his hands and finally he shoved them into the pocket of Harry's work robes.

"Brian…" Harry said softly as he turned his head to the newly un-petrified man. "I heard you, I'm not sure what you were doing, but I heard you doing it, thank you… I think, I should tell you, that I am… Zanan." A long silence followed this and them Harry looked up.

Brian shook his head. "Mr. Malfoy explained it already, I'll tell no one." Brian smiled as he began to understand what he had been so curious to understand in his mind earlier that year.

Ginny took this moment to seize Harry in a hug, not her mother's signature bone crushing one either, just a light one, because she could tell he was entirely wiped out. Harry looked over her shoulder toward the two men who couldn't be here. James Potter said nothing, but matched his gaze for a long time, and Sirius put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "You, neither of you should have been able to pass out of the Veil…. Is… is mum here?"

James shook his head solemnly and looked away. "She's gone, H-Harry," Harry closed his eyes again and tried to tell himself he should have expected it.

"This shouldn't be possible, but then again, I just killed two Gorgons and broke the blade of one of the Founders. What isn't possible? I'll have to write something up about this, as Zanan of course. We need to go somewhere, I can't stand and I can't think." Harry looked almost dumbly at James and Sirius and shook his head as if in denial that he was looking upon them.

James frowned. "I can't see right, Sirius…but, is that a Weasley?"

Sirius smiled a bit. "Arthur and Molly had a daughter, and… you know how Potters are for redheads."

No sooner had Ginny released him, than Hermione had drawn him into another hug. "Oh Harry, Crookshanks told us to come, that something was happening. It's amazing Harry, Crookshanks is a Kneazle!" Harry felt all strength draining from him.

"Move Hermione, I don't think you can support all of me." She obliged and he felt his arm thrown over Draco's shoulder.

"_Portus_!" Godric Gryffindor had just charmed the broken tip of his sword into a portkey.

"Take hold everyone." Harry looked across the portkey at James Potter, Sirius and Salazar Slytherin who were each looking as if a great burden were upon them just to move. Harry could guess that Sirius and James were affected by the trip through the Veil but couldn't figure out what was up with Slytherin. He felt Ginny's left hand on his shoulder as her right touched the blade.

"One… two… three…" the jerk behind the navel was somewhat stronger, it seemed, or maybe he was just so much weaker than before, but it made him cry out in pain as the Portkey activated. The cry of pain lasted throughout the whole spinning trip, making him sicker and sicker.

* * *

The floor of Hogwarts' Hospital Wing was no softer than the one they had just left when Harry landed on his back after his legs gave out. Once more, two sets of strong hands hauled him back upward and then lowered him onto a nearby bed. Harry opened his eyes to see Sirius and James looking over him. "Madame Promfrey," Harry yelled loudly.

The office door burst open and she came rushing out to see the large group. "Get the Headmistress and Deputy Head, please." Brian moved closer through the group.

"Ye know, I always knew there was somethin fishy about yeh two." Harry smiled at the man and looked at Ginny, who had taken a place next to Sirius and took the hand she extended as pain wracked his tired body. James Potter had taken hold of the other one, and Harry just didn't know what to think of that. He just couldn't bring himself to say anything more to either he or Sirius who were by all rights, defying the laws of reality.

The doors to the Hospital Wing burst open and the Deputy Headmaster came running in first. "What's going on here, Harr- **SWEET MERLIN ALIVE!** You're alive!" Harry watched as the shaky Deputy Head took two tentative steps toward the beds, and then stopped to look at James and Sirius.

"They got dragged through the Veil, by a Gorgon," Harry tried to explain from his bed, and saw Tonks emerge from the small group gathered at the foot of his bed.

"Both of the Gorgons are dead," she told the man. "I was so, so scared. I thought they'd kill me before I had even the chance to marry my fiancé." Harry's head shot up, and he tried to smile, but the pain and confusion of the recent event overweighed the happiness and he merely lay it back down carefully.

McGonagall followed after, and after seeing Sirius and James Potter alive again, began to inquire as to what had happened. Madam Promfrey brushed past her and to Harry's bedside. He saw her hand him a Blood-Replenishing potion and shook his head. "This is the Gorgon's blood, I only have a couple minor cuts on the outside, but I think I've got-"

"A concussion, most likely," she answered, putting the potion down and drawing another, fouler looking one out. Harry was unable to fight as she thrust the liquid into his open mouth, but almost choked on it all the same. He actually saw Sirius and James grinning childishly at his reaction. Another potion went down his throat and he felt his head clear so that he could think and he felt this headache leave him as well.

"Now, let's clear up some of the rudimentary injuries," Draco said, and silently waved his wand at his roommate and partner, clearing many bruises and cuts away. A second instance of the spell cleared away most of the others. Harry tried to sit up, but was thrust back downward by the nurse.

"Sorry, but, you're staying in bed. You might refuse to be a student here lately but you _are_ my patient." Harry groaned loudly and let himself lay back.

He was, however, saved the effort of explaining almost any thing thanks to the combined efforts of Draco, Sirius and James, who explained their crossing through the Veil and the loss of his mother's spirit. James shook his head solemnly when they finished. "I'm sorry Harry, it was just way too strong, and it stayed whole, how did it stay whole?"

Harry shrugged. "That's easy… it had no soul to begin with." He was growing tired, and felt incredibly overwhelmed. What was he to think, to do now? He would have to file a report with the Ministry soon, and he would probably be forced to miss the duel unless he snuck out of the Hospital Wing in the middle of the night, which he did plan to do. He wanted to join in the duel, especially now that he wouldn't have to worry about the Gorgons.

Remus stepped up to Sirius and James and threw his arms around them both. "I don't know how, but I'm glad to see you guys." Harry felt a little bit of warmth return to him as he watched the following exchange, and the jokes, the smiles on Remus's, Sirius's and James's faces.

The Marauders, well, the Marauders that weren't in the servitude of the Dark Lord Voldemort, were together once again.

"Harry, get up Harry." Harry Potter awoke and turned to see Draco Malfoy, Ginny Weasley, James Potter and Sirius Black standing over his bedside. Draco was the one who had spoken. "The duel is in five hours and you need to prepare."

"Draco told us you signed up," Ginny said, looking disgruntled. "I don't know… you do know you signed up for England's qualifying for the World dueling championship tournament, right?"

Harry sat up, way too suddenly, his head spun. After a few minutes he took a deep breath. "You're kidding? You read the add Draco, it said it was a Dueling Tournament! It didn't say it was qualifying for the World Championship!" Draco frowned but nodded in agreement.

"No, but since when is the Prophet clear on anything?" Harry saw the look on James Potter's face (which had gained a pair of glasses); it was one of mild worry.

"The World Dueling Tournament," he asked, looking rather disbelieving.

"He won the Triwizard Tournament, beat a basilisk, and many other things. I doubt he'll fair too badly." Sirius was his usual optimistic self. "He is your son you know."

An uncomfortable silence filled the air, and Harry took this moment to stand. "I couldn't possibly win the World Championship, but we could have some fun trying, right Draco?" Draco merely shrugged. Harry looked silently at James Potter once again, trying to sort out his feelings toward the man who was supposedly his father. It didn't help that it was impossible he or Sirius were there.

"I figured you'd want a change of clothes and brought them from the quarters. Your godfather insists we go to your home on Grimmauld Place." Harry shook his head at Draco at this statement.

"It's not my home, it's yours Sirius. Especially since you're not… you know." Harry couldn't bring himself to say 'dead'. "Let's go there anyway before the duel… I think… I think we need to talk."

"Ginny, you won't tell anyone we're taking off, right?" Ginny shook her head to Sirius and came closer to Harry. She reached out, as if to caress his face, which was an act he wouldn't know how to deal with in public, and then smacked him hard across the face.

His hand went up to his cheek in shock as it throbbed. He could tell it was red and was convinced it would soon bruise. "You said you'd write to me, you liar." Draco, despite the current situation, proceeded to roar in laughter in time with James and Sirius. Harry, once over his shock, began to apologize profusely.

It really had been a busy time.

A clear five minutes after she was done chewing him out, Harry lead his father, godfather, and roommate silently through every back route he knew toward the Defense Against the Dark Arts room. "How did you know about this place?" James asked when they turned and walked straight into a passage that was charmed to look like part of a solid wall.


	24. Chapter 24

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

* * *

"Well, after I checked out every place on the Map, I began looking for places similar to those, and I found some, after a bit of studying I plan to update the Map. This one, however, I myself created in my sixth year. A simple enough spell, the molecules of the stone merely rearrange to conform to your body shape. You pass through it easily." Harry felt like this was one moment he could brag, one thing he would brag about. He had learned how to do this all by himself. It had nothing to do with Voldemort's skills. 

"You know how to work the Map? You i have /i the map?" James looked incredulously at Sirius who shrugged and held up his hands as if to say he had nothing to do with it. "Right, Filch…."

"Gred and Forge, Fred and George Weasley that is, they nicked it from Flich's office in their first year, gave it to me in my third. When I found out Sirius was innocent and when Peter Pettigrew became the person right under Lord Voldemort on my list." This dark bit of recollection caused even Draco to become unnerved. The doors to the Great Hall opened, and -as planned- Maleck and Rudra awaited them.

He turned to James and looked him dead in the eye. "Don't freak out," he said, not in a reassuring manner, but one of someone who is quiet sure he's about to be affronted. "_Hello, my friends, will you come with me? I've missed you two quiet a lot._" They seemed happy to see him, and as he heard James gasp, Rudra and Maleck both slid forward, wound their way up his legs and to his arms, where they rested curled around them.

"A parseltongue, my son's a parseltongue…" Harry ignored the man.

"_You've been away a long time Master,_" said Maleck, and Harry took a breath.

When the snake hissed these words, he turned to his father, and saw he looked rather pale, but none the worse for the wear. "Thank Voldemort's attack for that. He also gave me a certain aptitude for Legilmency. Say hello to my little friends." James's mouth twitched, but Harry ignored it. "The male is Maleck, and the female is Rudra, just so everyone knows. They can't speak our language, but Rudra can read it well enough."

James burst out laughing. Draco and Sirius shared Harry's incredulous look. "What is it mate," Sirius finally asked after James had regained his breath and Harry's strained patience had broken.

"Sorry, it's a muggle thing… never mind." Harry shrugged.

"Sirius, I think we have a friend we should bring with us, but under one condition."

Sirius raised an eyebrow as if inviting him to continue. "You have to be nicer to him."

"Who are you talking about?"

"Kreacher!"

**SNAP!**

Kreacher appeared, with a snap, and it took him only three seconds to go from the slightly less hostile being he had begun to become back to the angry, cursing muttering house-elf he once was. "Master is alive then? Is he really?" Kreacher didn't at all seem happy to see Sirius, and indeed moved a bit closer toward Harry.

"Yeah, both of us are still alive Kreacher," Harry said, in a calming manner. "Sirius, haven't you got something to say to him?" Harry turned to the man and gave him a look worthy of an angry Molly Weasley. Rudra and Maleck's heads turned back and forth between the beings in the discussion, though they didn't understand it, they could tell the nature of it was rough.

"I-er…" Sirius looked as if he was about to object, but the look on his godson's face made him cave. "I'm sorry I was rude to you, Kreacher." Harry almost found the look on his charge's face comical. The creepy little face of the creature went from contorted in rage, to shocked.

"And Kreacher, what about you?"

The house-elf remained silent. "Kreacher apologizes for lying to Master Sirius, and for disobeying Master Harry last time Kreacher saw him."

Sirius nodded in acceptance, more than Kreacher had done for him. "Not a problem, Kreacher, you disobeyed me for a good reason," Harry said, and then reached into his pocket and pulled the pouch of Floo powder out. He took a pinch and tossed it into the fire. "Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place," he cried, tossing the powder into the fire. "We're getting out of here!"

* * *

The owl had flown off. The many, many Wizards who were assembled in the Atrium turned to the Minister of Magic, who spoke a phrase Harry couldn't catch. Suddenly, as if someone else was controlling him, he felt his eyes close, much against his will. When he opened them again, a moment later, they were standing in a stadium.

Not just any stadium, this was the stadium where the Quidditch World Cup had taken place three years ago. The many seats were full, and on the very outside of the field protected by a large shield spell were the family of the contestants. Sirius and James Potter had chosen to come, despite the fact that this morning they were both legally dead and had gotten into an argument with the Hall of Records.

With a written statement by the Junior Head of the Department of Mysteries 'Zanan' who had been supposedly hidden with Brian in front of the veil (Harry had created a spell to change his handwriting), and Harry's own story, James Potter was given full rights to the title of Lord Potter, and Harry was forced into the realization that he was a member of a family as old and influential as the Blacks and Sirius was reinstated as Lord Black and rightful heir to the Black fortune.

On one hand, the money Sirius had given Harry now returned to its rightful owner, on another hand, several Potter lost vaults, including the main family fortune, were now known to a living member of the family, and James had already made talk of moving into their manor in Godric's Hollow after getting whatever was left in the mess of their hiding place. Harry had been reluctant to comment on this. He still didn't know what to make of the man, not to mention his job in the Department of Mysteries called. However, a quick letter to the Head of the Department had been made and they arranged to hold a press conference to announce the true identities of Marks and Zanan the following day.

To be on the field with over two hundred other Wizards looking up at the fans, and around at the families, Harry felt a real connection with other Wizards he had never known. Here, he wasn't as famous, here, everyone was important, they were all competitors. Harry found Sirius and James in the crowd and, allowing himself to drop his reluctance to show any sort of emotion to his father, he smiled at them. When they returned it, and James flashed him a thumbs up, Harry turned to look for Draco.

Had he turned back at that moment he would have seen James's look of relief.

* * *

"Maybe he doesn't hate me totally," James said, his frown quite evident upon his face.

"Is that it mate? You think he hates you?" Sirius didn't seem to believe it.

"You see the way he looks at me. He doesn't want to show me any emotion, I think he blames me for not being able to fight Voldemort off. He thinks I'm weak." Sirius shook his head and put a grin on his face.

"That's 'cos you are mate." When James didn't smile, Sirius sighed deeply.

"He doesn't hate you, James. You don't know him, you never knew him, I did. He's scared, he's confused. He doesn't know what to think about you. For the longest time, he had no one, then he had Remus and I, and in his fifth year his faith in you was shaken." James looked up.

"He saw a memory of Snape's in Dumbledore's penseive, this was before the murder, of course. It was of an event where we taunted Snape, Snape tried to hex you, but you beat him to it. Then Lily came over and chewed you out big time. He couldn't understand why you two got married. He didn't understand. But I think he somewhat does. He hates Snape too. Oh, he told me something, you know the spell we used on Snape that year? Snape created it."

James turned to look at his friend. "Yep, Snape made a lot of really Dark spells, Harry's quiet adept at them. I know that makes you uncomfortable, but most of it is because of a connection Voldemort left with him, when he couldn't kill him. That's why Harry's a parseltongue. His snake Rudra is his familiar, and Maleck is her mate. He told me how they were his only friends when he moved into the Chamber of Secrets earlier in the year. It seems that Gryffindor and Slytherin taught him how to become an Animagus too."

"The bloody, the Chamber, Animagus?"

"The Chamber of Secrets, he'd been there in his second year to kill the basilisk Voldemort had released on the school and framed Hagrid for. Oy, I keep forgetting, you don't know… Voldemort's real name was Tom Riddle." James turned shocked once more.

"W-what? I met that man when we went to Malfoy Manor… in our Fifth year!"

Sirius nodded. "He had already begun an evil path back then. There's one more thing I think you should know about your son, the rest he can tell you himself, if he wants to. He hates Snape, because Snape was the one who murdered Dumbledore." Sirius watched James' face turn from shock to hatred, a fury he hadn't seen for a long time. "Remus told me Harry watched it all. Now, pay attention James, they're getting started!"

* * *

"Witches and Wizards," cried Ludo Bagman excitedly from his chair in the box. "I'd like to welcome you all, from the working class of the Wizarding Community to the many Hogwarts students who have come out this fine Saturday to see the duel, we have an excellent group who plan to qualify for the World Dueling Championship! And of them, only one will advance to the final round in Antarctica, so without further ado, would the contestants please file into the locker rooms, except for Muller and Kevins. The first match in the Dueling Tournament will now begin!"

Harry followed Draco, and the other fifty Wizards who had passed every single pre-duel Ministry-issued test into the Locker Rooms, and just as they all found a place to sit, there was a tremendous roar, signifying the beginning of the duel. Harry wished to no end that he could be out there watching each time the crowd roared its approval at a move, and Bagman would make a comment like "SWEET BLOODY MERLIN! I'VE NEVER SEEN THAT DONE WITH A WAND!"

There came a loud explosion followed by an intense heat that caused everyone in the locker room to break out into a sweat. No one's face was visible because of the Ministry's standard issue cloak and hood they wanted each to wear over their robes until the battle. Harry, who hadn't taken any time to look around during the opening ceremony when the hoods were down, wasn't sure who all was here. He didn't think anyone he knew was here or they'd probably be saying something to him.

As soon as the heat died down, Harry pulled a piece of paper from his bag, drew his wand and used a spell to cast the words upon it as they came from his lips. For once, he was going to keep his word and remember to write Ginny. There was a screech from outside, and Bagman himself started cursing, "AN EFFECTIVE ATTACK BY MULLER!" He whispered the letter as it came to his head and slowly continued to watch the words appear on the page in sentence by sentence. Once more came the huge explosion and the heat, only this time, Bagman's voice became loud enough to hear once more. "THE DUEL IS DONE! THE DUEL IS DONE! AVERY MULLER WINS!" A full five minutes later, only one Wizard returned to the locker room.

"The next duel will begin in five minutes, the next duel, five minutes." There was silence in which Harry examined the hooded victor. He seemed, despite a limp, to be more or less unharmed. When said five minutes had passed, a name was called Harry recognized. "Weasley and Regner, you're next!" Two forms stood from their seats in the room, and moved toward the door. Harry, after turning away from Draco, looked up, and caught a glimpse of one of the two contestants. Bill Weasley's wand was already drawn.

"Good luck." Harry stood and moved behind them, following them only to the gates leading to the Dueling field. He intended to see this duel, and so did a few others.


	25. Chapter 25

Disclaimer: I won't own Harry Potter.

* * *

_Harry stood up from where he had been hunched over in a corner. In his arms he held a child of four or five, who was far too skinny for his own good. The boy was blonde and his blue eyes reminded Draco of someone he knew… though he wasn't sure who. He was caked in filth. Mud and blood. This was much like the pile of –ahem- 'toys' of a sensuous nature in the corner. Harry's head was bent over the boy, examining him for wounds probably. _

_ The boy stirred and looked up, crying and then down, and closed his eyes again. Harry waved his wand hand and cleared the boy of the mess. _

_"You poor thing… what'd that beast do to you?" In his arms, the boy opened his eyes and shook his head. "Was… was it Him, did he have red eyes?" _

_"The one who did it said that his Lord would torture him if he knew." Harry softly cradled the child to him; and Draco could suddenly see the father he could possibly become. The boy suddenly lost consciousness, and Harry took off, holding the child in one hand, and a still snitch in the other. _

_"Harry wait up."._

* * *

"Draco, wake up! You missed the duel… Bill absolutely tore him up." At this moment, Bill Weasley walked into the locker room. Several of the people who had watched it reacted immediately to him. Some, like Harry, pat him on the back or gave words of encouragement and congratulations to him. Others glared heavily and threw their hoods back over their faces. And still others, who hadn't watched, merely ignored this.

Harry saw Draco with his head down, looking at his knees and seemingly in deep thought. His face was red and sweat had broken out on it. Harry saw his expression contort to extreme distaste and curiously sat down beside him. "What's up Drac," he asked after a few moments of silence. Draco merely shook his head.

There was no reason to tell Harry of his nightmares. The thing was, he wasn't so sure if these weren't… visions. And if small details in visions could be trusted, the start of this weird incident could be fast approaching. In his dream, or vision, they'd been wearing these very same dueling robes! "What if I were to tell you I think I'm a Seer?" Harry laughed long and deeply.

"Yeah, right Drac, very funny." After a moment Harry stopped laughing and stared at him. "You're not joking?"

Draco shook his head. He opened his mouth to explain, but was interrupted. "**Draco Malfoy and Stanley Shunpike, please come to the Dueling Area."** The Wizard known as Muller was leaning back against the wall of the tunnel to the field, his hood up and his face covered with the ceremonial mask which most people had long since removed. Draco reached him, and stood tall as he waited for the man to move. Muller made a rude hand gesture and then leaned forward and whispered so that only Draco could hear; "**Death** comes to us all, and we all must **eat** our poison in the end."

Draco turned visibly red and suddenly looked rather fearful. He moved past Muller and out of the tunnel in a hurry. Harry glared in the direction of the man, who didn't lock eyes with him. Stan stood a moment later, and Harry frowned at him. He didn't meet Harry's glare either, so Harry stepped out and grabbed hold of his robes. "You're done pretending to be a Death Eater right? 'Cos if I ever find out you are, I'll personally see to it that someone, Ministry or not, takes care of you. And I wouldn't want that, you're my friend, right, Stan?"

Stan, obviously scared, nodded and ran past both Harry and Muller. Harry sat down after a moment when he heard Ludo announce the beginning of the match. It only took a grand total of five minutes for him to announce that Stan had given up. Draco didn't waste any time being applauded and thundered his way right into the locker room. "What a waste of time! The guy only didn't lose after my first spell because he managed to summon a load of stones to intercept my spells. The minute I found a way around them, he ran crying. No doubt there's a specific reason some people work on the Knight Bus."

Harry shook his head dismissively. This wasn't a subject that mattered to him right now. "What about the being a Seer thing?"

Draco took a deep breath. "That doesn't matter right now, Harry" he lowered his head and whispered, "there's a Death Eater in our midst, and I think you know who I mean."

"They checked everyone, there's no way he's a Death Eater," Harry whispered back, but Draco merely shrugged.

"He knows the Dark Lord's maxim. That is given out to a select few." Harry took Draco's evidence into consideration and instantly began to try and put together a plan to prove Muller was a Death Eater. He found he had a long time to plan, but even that didn't help him come up with anything. The Ministry, probably in an act to get all the attention possible for as long as possible to the Duel Tournament, saved his match for dead last, suggesting it would be dead last in the quarter finals, and semi-finals.

When time had passed, and Harry had learned the names of all of his remaining competitors (including Aurors Dawlish, Shacklebolt, Tonks, and Savage, Dawlish and Shacklebolt failed, and Tonks had taken a seat beside Draco and Harry) Ludo Bagman called out the final name he had to learn paired with his own. "Algie Longbottom and Harry Potter." Harry stood, unable to keep from looking shocked as he saw his opponent rise from his seat. He lowered his hood as the other man did the same.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Longbottom, Neville's told me about you." It was sort of true… he'd only heard one story about the man, and it was of tossing Neville out a window or off a dock… but… oh well. He was related to Neville and thusly to two of the greatest Aurors in history, so one would naturally assume the old man had plenty of skill. The man didn't reply after a while, but nodded his head in recognition. Harry shrugged and took off down the tunnel first. As he emerged from it, the noise level suddenly tripled, no quadrupled! Harry looked first to the stands, and after scanning, found the envoy of Hogwarts students. He saw Ginny, as he had hoped he would; only she was down with the rest of the Weasleys (including Fleur Weasley, the newest member of the clan) as a family member of Bill.

A bit of searching led him to see Neville and his grandmother, and he suddenly found himself terribly uneasy that he would duel a friend's relative. It would be different if it were Bill Weasley, Bill was not a friend's relative; he _was_ a friend and thus Harry wouldn't really feel that much pressure from the Weasleys for the duel. However, he'd heard that Neville's grandmother was rather strict, and no matter how much she may support him, he didn't know if she would take well to this duel, win or lose. Neville, on the other hand, he waved at Harry. Harry's eyes found Ginny again, who waved as well, and then to his immense embarrassment blew a kiss.

What embarrassed him the most, was that this little interaction hadn't gone unnoticed by Ludo Bagman, who had been following his line of sight. At some point he had relocated to the ground level, instead of in the box he'd been in during the commencement ceremonies. "And it looks like Potter is getting some special encouragement from the family section of the crowd, problem, is, it's the wrong family." Harry turned red and shot his gaze around until he once more saw Sirius and James. Algie Longbottom exited the tunnel at this point, his wand already drawn. Harry smiled as a game plan came to his head and pointed his wand discreetly at his Godfather.

_Inspicio_, the spell was released but didn't have the effect he had wanted. The spell protecting the crowd had canceled his out. Harry took a second to think, and heard Ludo announce the beginning of the duel. "Would each fighter please take one end of the field?" Harry's mind clicked, and a grin came easily to his face once more. He took the opposite end in courtesy, so he was closer to Bagman and could hear him better.

There was a flash of light which signaled the beginning, and Harry relaxed. This obvious change in his demeanor confused Algie Longbottom who relaxed into a cautious state. Harry reached up, which caused the man to raise his wand defensively, but in the end, all Harry did was remove his dueling robes to reveal the pants and tank top beneath. He bewitched them to hover in the air behind him. With his wand still pointed at the robes he closed his eyes and silently cast the charm.

When he next opened his eyes, he could see his own back. He used his wand to lift the robes higher, and higher, until they were level with the first box off the ground floor. He could see both himself and Mr. Longbottom that way. "Ready when you are, sir," Harry said with a bow of sorts he hoped would convey respect as well as a promise not to go easy on his opponent at any cost.

"Well, after a bit of preparation, it seems Potter and Longbottom are ready to duel. I just hope Potter isn't getting too cocky; Algie Longbottom is a former Head of the Aurors. And here goes Longbottom!" Algie Longbottom looked perturbed that Harry obviously planned to duel with his eyes closed, but nonetheless immediately began bellowing three spells Harry had only briefly heard of. Harry's mind, which had sharpened lately, began to process these spells.

One could shrink the victim's body until his head was far too large for him to support it. How childish, not to mention rather on the darker side, but not illegal. The next, was a charm which would set fire to the victim's robes if it met with any conventional shield spell. So, the first, no matter how childish, or dark it was, it was merely a fake out trying to get him to use a shield spell. However, he knew a shield spell that the man didn't know, _Munio_, the Potter Shield Spell.

The third spell was nothing more than a defensive spell, setting up his own small shield. Harry flexed his wand, and bellowed, " i Munio/i " The shield was built in record time, and though perplexed he saw from his spot up in the air, the man grinning. The spells hit, and bounced off, breaking down until they dissolved. "You did a smart thing with using a spell that activated if it hit a regular shield. Only problem is, the Potter Shield Spell, _Munio_, is no regular shield. My spell," he proclaimed loudly, to not only inform the public of the new spell, but to try and distract his opponent, "can block the Unforgivable Curses, a feat which no other person or spell has yet to accomplish."

Ludo Bagman for once seemed speechless, but then sadly recovered. "Folks, I've seen that spell that Longbottom used myself hundreds of times, and never has there been a shield spell that not only didn't activate it, but blocked it entirely. This Potter Shield Spell is something spectacular! Maybe it really can stand up to the Unforgivables!" Harry scoffed as he noticed that his opponent had gone along with the crowd, getting caught up in his speech and Bagman's, and made a point to take it easy.

He cast a wall of flame around the man, and shot a jet of water at it, causing steam to surround the former Head of Aurors. This didn't stop Longbottom at all, he merely used a spell to blow the steam toward Harry. Harry—who had expected this—turned his wand on the robes where his eyes sat and raised them just a little higher. Pretending to be blinded by the steam, he watched as the man drew himself right in front of Harry.

"This is over, sir," he said, and saw the man's look of shock.

"**_Mr. Potter seems to be proclaiming the end of the match." _**

"Adseroanima," Harry cried. The familiar effect came, his eyes, both now in astral form above him, both saw into the astral plane as opposed to just one eye as usual. This left him at a disadvantage because Mr. Longbottom could still use his right eye, and if he weren't using Inspicio, he could still use his left. This disadvantage wouldn't matter. In messing around with the Soul Ripping spell while trying to invent _Munio_, he had found that using his energy to merely prod the other person's soul, would be enough to drain them terribly, without hurting them as much as tearing would.

Harry saw, in the black world around him, his own ghostly hand reach out, as if to touch the man's soul, and then balled it into a fist. This astral fist connected with Algie Lonbottom's chin, and Harry cancelled both _Adseroanima _and _Inspicio_. Algie was on the ground when Harry regained his connection to the whole world; his eyes clenched shut and his face red.

"The judges have decided that whatever spell Potter has just used has disabled Longbottom, we have called the match, winner, Potter!" Ludo sounded rather ecstatic, while most of the crowd was silent. Harry put his wand into his pants pocket after summoning down his robes to his arms. Then he crossed the field in a few strides and bent over the man who mediwizards were already attempting to tend to.

"It's alright, give him this," Harry said, reaching into his robe pocket and withdrawing a vial of pure water. "Or if you don't trust me, give him water from somewhere else, it'll neutralize the effect, unless you want him to just ride it out, and I'd know personally, no one wants to ride it out." The mediwizard took the vial, and crouched down beside the man. He dropped a few drops of the water onto his lips, and Mr. Longbottom's tongue darted out to draw these in. After a full two minutes, where Bagman commented briefly that Harry seemed to be helping the Mediwizards, (_duh_, Harry thought,) Algie Longbottom's eyes opened.

The pain had subsided. The Mediwizard handed Harry the water back, and Harry pocketed it before bending down to help the man up. The wizard took his hand without contempt and Harry pulled him to his feet. "And a great display of sportsmanship by our duelists." The crowd drowned out the rest of his statement in applause and chants, and even whistling. Harry saw Ginny grinning at him from the ground level, he saw Ron and Hermione applauding from up in the stands with the envoy of Hogwarts students, he saw Sirius and his father clapping and smiling, and laughing. Sirius reached over and high-fived James with a grin. He could hear the man yelling, "I told you! He's your son!" Then his eyes found Neville, who, along with his grandmother and the other Longbottoms around them was applauding as hard as any.

As he shook hands with Mr. Longbottom once more, he saw Draco in the tunnel, flashing him a thumbs up. Harry drew his robes on as he left the field and moved into said tunnel. "Good job there. You had him pretty beaten up, I'm glad it ended when it did. Those idiots wouldn't have figured out how to help him if it weren't for you." Harry nodded but didn't join in the conversation. Now he had other things to worry about.


	26. Chapter 26

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

* * *

He didn't return to the main locker room. The minute he had taken a breath, Harry asked Draco to get Tonks and Savage from the locker room and bring them out to the tunnel after he heard Ludo announce it was time for a break. Draco relayed the information to Tonks and Savage that there was definitely a Death Eater amongst them, and the four sat in the tunnel, trying their best to decide an easy course of action and finally the answer, a simple one came to Harry. "We'll play it out and beat him in a duel. He's obviously after me so he won't do anything until he has a clear shot at me, right?" Savage pointed out -somewhat halfheartedly- that they had no proof that the Death Eater wasn't out to just commit mass murders in his master's name. 

"Do we have any proof that he is," Draco snapped, getting irritated. "I say we rush in there, knock him out and then turn him in to the Ministry." Harry laid a hand on his shoulder for a brief second to calm him, and then turned to Tonks. He opened his mouth to ask her what her opinion on the matter was and a man cleared his throat, and the lot of them turned to look at him.

"Follow me please." A portly old wizard stepped past the group and lead them into the locker room where some people were pacing, and some were sitting solemnly.

"Everyone, your attention please," without pausing, he continued, "you will now have a three hour lunch break before today's final match for each of you, and then we will see you in three days. That is all."

"Draco, let's go get some lunch with everyone." Draco looked momentarily put out then nodded, it was obvious he wanted to pursue the matter of the Death Eater.

"Right, let's get out of here then." The two of them said their goodbyes to Savage and Tonks and together exited the tunnel first. The area was temporarily flooded with a red light as the barrier to the rest of the field went down. James and Sirius were among the first spectators to hit the field as more participants came out behind them in their ceremonial robes. Harry hadn't bothered to put his back on yet. Ginny came seemingly out of nowhere and latched onto him tightly.

"Harry, that was amazing," she said after briefly putting her lips to his cheek.

"I see how it is Gin, nothing for your brother, I'm hurt." Bill Weasley had fought through the crowd with quiet a bit of difficulty to join them. Ginny turned and gave her kin a hug of his own and as Harry turned to look for Draco, he came face to face with his father. James Potter looked really skinny, which was something Harry hadn't noticed yesterday. Well, that was to be expected, honestly he hadn't had a meal in seventeen years.

Harry grinned widely, unaware that Sirius, Draco, Ginny and Bill were all at that moment holding back a comment that he and his father looked even more alike when he did that, and received a pat on the back from the man. "You did excellent, Harry," James said, "It's amazing, seventeen years old, you're more talented than I was when I faced Voldemort for the first time. If your mum hadn't been there, after all, why, there would have been no second time. You've got her prowess in dueling, but the charms skills came from me!" Some of the stands had been emptied obviously, as he was enveloped in another hug, and this time when he was released he saw the bushy-haired brunette grinning wider than she had in a while.

"That was amazing," she said, echoing Ginny. Ron slapped him on the back, rather hard, and Molly Weasley was clapping as she approached.

"Come on, Bill, Harry, all of you, to the Burrow for some lunch now! You've got to be ready for your next rounds; we'll have time to talk after we get there, alright?"

James flashed a grin, made a bow and said, "We'd be delighted to, will Arthur be joining us?"

Molly assured them that he would be, and after making sure Draco would feel comfortable, Harry agreed as well. Sirius gave a hearty cheer when Molly said she was ready to go, and Harry turned to Ginny. "I'll see you in a couple of days, alright?" Ginny nodded and once more gave him a peck on the cheek.

The brief feeling of her breath on his face, of her lips on his face, drove him to the realization of just how much he'd missed her. He didn't mean to be so… active in the presence of her family, but he was completely unable to help himself. With a bit of urgency, his lips sought out hers for a few long seconds and then he pulled back, looking into her eyes. "Wotcher, Harry," he heard Tonks call from somewhere behind them. The Deputy Headmaster of Hogwarts waved cheerfully and then called for Ginny, Ron, and Hermione, and then in another direction for several other students.

"We've gotta go, Harry," Ginny whispered as he held her tightly.

"And I'll never regret it more," he replied, releasing her. The full scale of the situation hit him, and he turned slightly red before clearing his throat. He didn't meet eyes with anyone else, or else he would have seen Sirius' silent laughter.

"Right then, take care Hermione, and goodbye Ron and Ginny! The two of you better be good," Molly Weasley advised. Ginny rolled her eyes in a manner Harry knew to be her basic response to many of Molly's advisory statements. Remus finally managed to signal the three students away, and Harry took a moment to raise his head.

"Right! To the Burrow?" When Mrs. Weasley nodded, he gave a thumbs up to Draco who Disapparated in unison with him. The Burrow fell into view and Harry smiled as he looked upon the only thing other than Hogwarts that Harry used to call home. It was beautiful, despite the condition it was in and its size. Draco took a full minute to examine the house before the appearance of James Potter, Molly Weasley, Bill Weasley, Fleur Weasley and Sirius Black.

Mrs. Weasley led the way, and Harry followed Draco—who was moving uncharacteristically uncomfortably—into the house. After insisting they waited in the den for lunch to be ready, Mrs. Weasley, Fleur, and Bill disappeared into the kitchen. "What's the problem Draco," Harry asked, settling himself onto the couch and finally relaxing his slightly tired body.

"I… I feel bad for some of the things I've said about them after seeing this place…" he replied quietly, looking rather ashamed. For the first time in a while Harry took a moment to be amazed at how different of a Draco this was since his parents' deaths. That had really mellowed him out.

Lunch was a very tiring affair, Draco didn't meet eyes with anyone, Sirius and James kept going over points of the three participant's battles, and Fleur and Bill talked about their new home in London, and Harry merely sat observing the chaos, before letting out a yawn. "Oh, I'm sorry," he said when he had regained his composure, "No reflection on present company, I assure you."

Sirius immediately, and loudly, proclaimed that he was dragging Harry and Draco back to Grimmauld Place for a rest before returning for the remainder of the duels. James thanked Mrs. Weasley as Harry moved to the door. "I'm going to go Apparate into an empty room on the second floor Draco, see you there." Harry gave a wave to Mrs. Weasley and Disapparated.

Draco had been confused of course, when he had heard the tone of Harry's voice, but upon arriving in the specified room, he understood why. Instantly he was thrown back against the door he had just shut, and Harry flexed his wand once more. "You've got to be ready to duel at any time, right Drac?"

Draco sneered good-naturedly, and flung his wand out casting a few rudimentary spells which Harry dodged easily, and then in unison they called, "_Adseroanima_," Harry grinned as the spells hit, and they revealed to each other their true souls. Harry saw the shining white form of Draco, strong and violent looking.

Suddenly something else caught his astral eye, a violent light of every color flaring from an object on the ground. He brought his real eye over and found a heavy locket lying on the floor. It was one he had attempted to open last year, during the cleaning, but had been unsuccessful. Suddenly the astral eye caught something odd in the light, it looked like an eye. The eye of a snake.

The light shifted into the form a whole snake, coiled and then uncoiled, and suddenly it grew a face. Harry snapped his hand up and pointed at the locket. "Draco, look there. With both eyes." Harry and Draco glared for a full minute at the locket; the writhing astral energy beneath it repeated its motions.

"I… think I know what that is," Harry whispered in utter shock. He looked upon the front of it, but it was covered in thick dust, so that whatever what was written or inscribed on the front was far from legible. Draco on the other hand, was completely nonchalant as he looked upon it, and then raised his wand calmly.

"_Accio Locket,_" Draco called, and Harry's eyes opened wide. He shoved the boy away and to the ground so that the locket hit the ground where he had once been standing, falling harmlessly to the ground. "What the heck was that about, Potter," Draco asked, standing.

"It's dangerous," Harry snapped angrily, uncaring to if he had hurt Draco or not, he had spared him a great deal more of possible pain. "_Wingardium Leviosa_," Harry continued, lifting the object into the air. A silent wave of his wand cleared the dust from it, and his astral eye inspected it closer. "_Finite incantatem_," the spell cleared from his eyes and he nodded, as he saw the snake in the shape of an 'S' on the front of it. His suspicions were confirmed without a shadow of a doubt, and he became aware that he was staring at one of the most dangerous artifacts in existence.

"Draco, this is a Horcrux, the one that Dumbledore and I were searching for the night he died, the one we thought we had gotten. The one that made him so weak that he was so susceptible," he didn't add the word 'to you' in because it was a very touchy subject for them both. "It was a fake, someone with the initials R.A.B. got it before us." Harry stared at it for a long time, convinced he was, by some twist of fate seeing another Horcrux. Finally. "Regulus Black! Sirius' little brother was killed by Death Eaters, because he stole the Horcrux! That means… SIRIUS!"

The sounds of Sirius and James running up the steps was soon heard and Draco turned as Sirius and James came in the room, a little too quickly. "Stop," he commanded. "It's a Horcrux, a bit of Voldemort's soul. It's dangerous."

Harry looked at it, and then turned. "_Insipcio, Adseroanima,_" with his eyes both in the astral world he began to examine the Horcrux. There was no doubt that this was Slytherin's locket, but… something just looked weird. There was the energy that looked like a snake, but it almost looked like there was another in there, one of a light yellow color. No, that was impossible.

"Quickly, James, please get me a bag, a box or something. We need to put this somewhere safe for now. Draco, I can't see, and I want to watch this thing some more, please do me a favor and send an owl to the Headmistress and tell her I'll be visiting Hogwarts in half an hour. Then I'll have an hour and a half to get back to the Dueling Arena. Sirius, I think this is why your brother… why they killed him. R.A.B. must be Regulus-"

Sirius cut him off, "Aben Black."

Harry continued gazing at the spirit inside of the locket and then heard his father's voice. "I've brought a bag, Harry." He turned toward the spirit light of his father, he thought that his father sounded and looked somewhat dejected about something, but at the time the thought of his father's feelings were farthest from his head. He had no idea that James had been so badly hurt by Harry using his first name instead of the word 'Dad'.

"_Finite Incantatem_," as the astral world fell from view, he flexed his wand and sent the locket flying into the bag which he then charmed to tie itself shut. "Well, here's what I'll do, I'll go to the school soon, and then meet you all at the stadium."

"Don't be silly, we'll all go," Sirius said, his usual self showing through. "I want to spend some time with Remus, shall we Prongs?"

"I think we shall, Padfoot," James replied smiling, and Harry turned to Draco and smiled softly. "Shall we, I'll want you there to help me destroy the thing." Draco returned the smile and nodded. Carefully, Harry held the bag out in front of him and found his way down into the kitchen. Kreacher was in the kitchen cleaning, for once, and preparing to wash the floor when they arrived.

"Greetings Kreacher," Harry said cheerfully.

"Hello, master," the house-elf replied, looking upon Sirius a bit distrustfully. "I hope you're having a good day."

Harry kept his eye on the bag even as he shot the house-elf a smile. This was a very, very dangerous item after all. He walked over to the fireplace. "I'll go first," Harry dug into the pot on the mantel and threw the floo powder into the fireplace. The green flames flared up and he jumped in.

"Hogwarts!"

He closed his eyes and tucked in his elbows as he began spinning. He felt a sudden pulsation coming from the bag and resisted the urge to look down and check it. The pulsation increased in frequency and suddenly he stopped in mid spin, being thrown sideways out of a fireplace. Wood connected hard with his head and the bag fell from his hand as Harry lost consciousness.


	27. Chapter 27

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

* * *

"Harry, Harry, wake up, come on now!" Harry Potter's eyes shot wide open and he shot his hand out in extreme paranoia, groping violently for the sack. When he didn't feel it, he pushed himself to his feet and looked around. He was in the Hog's Head, and it seemed, was lying on the floor amid a puddle of someone's firewhiskey. 

Aberforth Dumbledore pulled him to his feet and he groaned. "Where's my bag at G-" Harry, aware of the fact that one, no two reporters for the Prophet were standing near him, stopped himself. The general public didn't know that Aberforth was his Great-great grandfather. "Where's the bag?"

"Calm down, it's right here, safe and sound." Harry practically lunged at the bag lying on top of the counter near him. As he climbed back to his feet he leaned in under the guise of his leg giving out for a moment and whispered, "It's a Horcrux." When Aberforth had 'helped' him stand back up straight, he looked around. "Sorry for disturbing everyone. I'm going to go now."

Okay, so floo powder wasn't a good idea. He didn't know how it had happened, but something about the Horcrux had obviously disrupted his trip. If he had just misspoken, it wouldn't have been so violent of an arrival into the Hog's Head. He would have been facing the exit when it had thrown him out. He had been sideways!

"Sorry, everyone." Once more he looked toward Aberforth, smiled and—taking a deep breath and praying that the Horcrux wouldn't affect Apparation—disappeared from the Hog's Head. The gate's of Hogwarts grounds swung open when he arrived and he took off at a breakneck speed to the castle.

All the while it was becoming increasingly obvious that his premature expulsion from the fireplace had broken his left wrist. He didn't have time to worry about that right now, he didn't have time to worry about the fact that blood ran down his neck from a small wound on his head. He was holding a Horcrux, and he hadn't even thought to ask how long he'd been out. His right hand went to his pocket and he drew his wand out, intending to mend his wrist and heal his body as he ran, but he didn't know if it would set the Horcrux off, or if such a thing could be 'sat off'.

The Hogwarts grounds were completely clear of students, which were weird; this had to be a classless day due to the many students who were at the tournament. The tournament! How long until it started back up? It didn't matter. He had to deliver and destroy the Horcrux. He needed someone nearly as strong as he to work with, so that an unbalance of power didn't upset the potentially unstable spirit within in the locket before it could be destroyed.

The doors opened before he could push them aside, and as soon as he entered the building, slammed shut, then opened and shut again, repeatedly. He backed away from the apparently mental doors, noting that students were coming form the Great Hall to see what the noise was. As he backed away the doors stopped mid-slam and slowly closed. He blinked and took a couple steps forward, holding the bag aloft, aware consciously of the bit of blood going down his neck. The doors began their meaningless slamming again, and continued 'til he retraced those steps backwards. A voice called to him from the crowd, he dimly registered Dean Thomas and Neville at his side, and then a third voice; Seamus' said, "Harry, what's causing that?" He saw the boy's hand reach toward the bag as if the touch it, and he jerked it back, clutching it to his chest.

"Don't! Don't, now tell me, where is the Headmistress right now?"

"She, Lupin, Draco Malfoy, Sirius Black and another man went into her office. Harry, the rumor is is that the other man is… your dad, that he's alive."

Harry nodded absentmindedly, then realized that statement was a badly coded question. "Yeah, that's my father. I have to go!" He turned to run off and came face to face with Ron, Ginny, and Hermione. Without another word, he grabbed onto Ron and Ginny and said loudly, "Come on you three!"

In the process of rushing down the corridors, they sidestepped Filch, dodged a statue thrown by Peeves, and Harry got tripped by a suit of armor that apparently was not having a good day today. He pulled to a stop outside of the office. The gargoyle looked expectantly at him and he hissed, "White Hat!" Hermione gave a confused look for a moment, and then a grin came to her face as the gargoyle sprang aside, and he practically pushed the three others onto the staircase.

The staircase, however, didn't ascend. "Merlin's sake," Harry yelled. Next he began to express his displeasure that the staircase wouldn't work, and in doing so, he failed to find suitable synonyms for the words feces, fornicating, one who has relations with his mother, and to curse something for all eternity.

"Alright, that's it, hold on everyone." Hermione flexed her wand out, and Harry felt the ground beneath him rise, the staircase began its ascent, however slowly, and it seemed to be taking a lot out of Hermione. He reached the bottom of the door jam with his hand and pulled himself up as Hermione stopped the ascension, almost at once it began to fall back downward, and he saw the concentration on her face as she brought it back up, and he helped Ginny and Ron up. Finally, he did the same for Hermione, watching the stairs fall as soon as she broke her concentration.

"That's so weird, only an extreme amount of power, like the Founders, could make parts of Hogwarts malfunction. What _is_ in that bag, Harry?" Ginny, Hermione and Ron turned to look at it curiously and he nodded.

"All in good time you three, come on." He reached to open the door, but a surge of power flew through his arm, and he felt himself expelled from off the edge of the doorway, and down, down to the staircase far, far below.

_Today… just…. Isn't… my… day….._

"For Merlin's sake!" Harry felt himself flung back upward almost, and he saw that Ginny had her wand turned on him. Hermione threw open the door to the Headmistress's office, and Harry felt his feet find solid ground quickly. Harry moved quickly to the doorway, where he could see the occupants of the room looking out at him. He slid through the door quickly, his arms wrapped protectively over the bag. Sirius and Draco stopped him in his tracks, saving him from spilling onto the floor of the room.

He took several long seconds to take a deep breath, before he heard a voice. "What have you brought for us, Potter?"

Harry looked up at the Headmistress and motioned toward Dumbledore's portrait. He sat the bag down on the arm of a chair beside him as he heard Ginny, Hermione and Ron clambering into the room. "As much as I hate to wake him, he needs to hear this. Only Dumbledore and myself have any real knowledge about this subject, as I have Dumbledore's memories and his Pensieve."

"I'm quiet awake, Mr. Potter, I was merely resting my eyes," the portrait-man opened his eyes. James gave a grin to him, and Sirius made a cocky little bow. "What have you?"

Harry raised the bag and turned it over. "Slytherin's locket is what I have; all this time it was right under the Order's nose. Voldemort's next Horcrux." Slytherin's locket fell out and hit the ground.

"Well that's what is making parts of the school act up on you. It's too powerful a magical object." Harry turned to look at Hermione with a smirk.

"Cap'n obvious to the rescue." She smacked him on the back of the head just as Draco raised his wand and silently cleared away the wounds on Harry's neck and head.

"I brought it here because no one has ever tried to destroy a Horcrux this way before. I don't know how anyone else did it… but I just wanted people present, in case. As far as me being late, I hurt myself getting out of the fire place, and so, I don't know how much time we have left. Should we get this started?" Dumbledore and McGonagall nodded.

Harry raised his wand and turned it on the side of the room that everyone save himself and Draco stood on. "_Munio!" _The shield rose in front of them, securing itself. "Hold tight, Draco, on the count of three." He and Draco turned their wands on the Horcrux which Harry charmed to stay floating in mid air.

"One," Draco began.

"Two," Harry continued.

"Three," both finished, and then in unison, "_Adseroanima!" _Together, the two began to pry at the spirit inside the locket.

All at once a horrible sound began to ring out through the room. Voices were screaming, Voices, in the plural. Harry could hear Voldemort's voice in there, but a second, louder and more high pitched rang out in time, screaming as if they were torturing a human being. Colors began to fly from the object, every color of the rainbow, pulsating with the screams. Suddenly a pair of balls of the smoky substance Harry remembered in his nightmares exploded from the Locket. One very clearly showed the face of Voldemort, while the other… Harry's eyes widened.

This looked like Voldemort too, but not the Voldemort he knew. This looked like Voldemort many, many years ago, as he looked in the memory of Dumbledore's first encounter with him, when the man was only eleven. The souls were both screaming bloody murder, and Harry watched as they dissipated into thin air, not before one screamed out, "**HELP!**"

Breathing heavily, Harry lowered the shield and bent down. He saw that the locket was open. Out of it fell a small, crumpled up piece of paper. Harry pulled it out and saw with a shock, an artist sketch of what had to be younger versions of the Four Founders. Without a second thought he did with the locket what he had done with the ring. He wore it.

After several moments of relative silence, Harry spoke. "Did you see it, Albus?" The portrait man looked over his spectacles at Harry, his eyes quiet wide, quiet confused. "What, what did it mean, could it mean that Tom Riddle… isn't Voldemort, that Voldemort is actually someone else in Tom Riddle's body?"

"It could," the man said, looking rather worried. "The question now is, who, how do we prove it, why, and how again." Harry looked at the faces of all the people gathered, the Headmistress seemed to be more terrified than any other by the revelation, and sank into her seat, absolutely bawling. Ginny had her arms around Harry, to control his shaking. That one moment had changed his mind about everything he'd known about Voldemort.

"The other spirit! I wasn't imagining it," Harry proceeded to explain how when he was examining the locket earlier, he'd believed he'd seen a second spirit within it. "It was Riddle… but if Riddle isn't Voldemort, then who is he sharing his body with?"

"Harry, I'm ashamed to admit that I have no idea."

Turning toward Draco, James, Sirius and Ron and Hermione, Harry could only stare. He didn't think that he knew enough to form a complete and intelligent thought or sentence.

_If Tom Riddle isn't Voldemort in spirit but Voldemort **is** Tom Riddle in body, then who is Voldemort in spirit? Why does Riddle have a second soul in him, and why didn't I see it the other times I'd managed to kill Voldemort before? Could this be why Voldemort is so powerful?

* * *

_

"Harry, hey, Harry," Harry turned toward Ginny as she reached into the cabinet in the Room of Requirement. Harry nodded and drew his wand. "Draco, this is what Tonks was talking about."

_The door to the office slammed open, and Tonks crossed the threshold quickly. "I've just heard from Kingsley, he thinks he's found Ravenclaw's Journal, you'll never believe it. The Room of Requirement."_

"_Wingardium Leviosa." _The book levitated into the air and Harry examined it. James looked at it skeptically.

"It looks like any other book," Sirius said, voicing his thoughts.

"So did Riddle's Journal. Look at this, look at this 'R'. That's got to be her."

In a space of a few minutes he had destroyed one Horcrux, discovered a more than upsetting secret he couldn't get his mind around and had procured another Horcrux. "Wait a minute," Harry said, slightly annoyed. "I remember this. I was digging through here months ago, I almost threw that book away, thought it was garbage!"

Draco groaned. "Good thing you didn't then. Let's do this quick, we've got a duel to get to, we're late!" Harry couldn't help but smirk at the boy's attitude.

"Alright then, Sirius, give us a hand here, keep it floating." The man obliged and Harry and Draco went through the earlier process.

"One."

"Two."

"Three, _adseroanima." _

Immediately Harry saw something was wrong. "**Shit**!" He and Draco cut their spells off at the same time, and, obviously irritated, Harry sat the book aflame.

"What was that all about," James exclaimed in shock.

"That's not it! There's no soul inside!"

Harry gave a groan and kicked the cabinet, sending it flying.

"Uhm, Harry, I think we've found something."

"It was a fake," Harry said, eyes widening as they landed on a large, thick tome that had 'Journal of Rowena Ravenclaw' spelled out in thick golden letters. The moment Harry spoke, a flash of light sprouted from the journal, and Harry felt himself thrown back. With all the rusty and potentially deadly objects around him, it was no surprise he felt something sharp pierce his back and slide deep into him, effectively skewering him.

This injury wasn't the worst of things however, because a tall, brown haired man had emerged from the light, wand in hand and looking quiet angry. "Shit," Harry repeated, pained.


	28. Chapter 28

_Disclaimer: I don't own HP._

* * *

"I've got a plan, Draco," James Potter whispered as he backed away from the figure. "Let's get him somewhere public." James grabbed the Horcrux and muttered a quick _"Portus."_

"Hey, long tall and ugly," James called, throwing the book toward the man. The book passed right through him.

"New plan," Draco called. He turned and waved his wand toward Harry who was currently bleeding profusely. The boy was expelled from whatever had skewered him and landed on his feet. "You've dealt with this once, what do we do?"

The man watched this for a long moment until he understood what was going on. The man raised his wand and cast a hex toward Draco. It hit, then phased right through him. "He's not whole enough to attack us yet, no one touch the book again, not only will you and he transport but he'll drain you so he can become whole. Draco, I can't do it… I can't move, you have to… burn the book James." When Harry turned to look at James, he was lying out cold on the ground.

That could only mean….

"Not whole enough," asked the man snidely, the thirty year old equivalent of Lord Voldemort. "Then how can I do this," in one swift movement the man crossed the room and slammed a fist into Harry's chin, and the bleeding boy hit the ground once more, consciousness fading in and out around him.

"He's already started! Stop him!" Harry hated to be helpless, but helpless he was. Voldemort caught Draco in the stomach and slammed him into Ginny, who Harry caught before she could get injured. Sirius and Tonks started forward at once, only to be hexed backwards.

"He's only one partial man, we can take him," Draco called, sending several hexes toward the man who was suddenly not whole enough to be hit, it was as if he was choosing to become intangible, could it be an intangibility charm? It was awfully darn quick of a casting if it was.

"Ignore him you can't beat him right now, he can control how solid he is. Destroy the book!"

Draco nodded and turned to set the book on fire, but Harry was not at all shocked to see him stopped in mid movement. Harry on the other hand, had a few hexes up his sleeve. The cabinet and objects around it caught fire, but he couldn't hit the book, Voldemort's spirit kept blocking any spell sent at the book. Sirius—having finally caught on—ran forward under the guise of trying to engage Voldemort fist to fist, but slammed himself into the burning cabinet instead, catching himself aflame. He threw the burning cloak away, grunting at the pain going up his back. Sirius had felt this pain before.

"_Fine! Go then! I hereby disown you from our family and denounce you a blood traitor. And what do we do with blood traitors, Regulus?"_

_"Reducto!" The boy called in unison with Sirius rolling to his left, beside him Sirius felt the cement crack something awful, a semi-deep chasm was left where he had stood moments before. There it was, the Knight Bus. The vehicle pulled to a stop not two feet from him. The young conductor, Ern stepped out onto the steps and didn't even get a chance to read his usual statement before Sirius was rushing toward him, his stuff in tow. The boy heaved the luggage up and on the bus and started to jump up himself. _

_"N-Nice day, aye, Mr. Black," the conductor commented, seeing the boy's family behind him looking quiet angry. Mrs. Black seemed to be reaching for a wand._

_"Nice day for you to get me out of here," Sirius said roughly as he landed on the step and began ascending. Suddenly he felt a sharp pain in his back; it felt as if all the skin on it was suddenly irritable, and burning. Then he realized that his shirt and cloak were both on fire. He ripped each off and cast them out onto the cement, a moan of pain escaping his lips as he thrust himself inside the bus with his luggage and landed on the ground beside the driver. "I'll pay you, I swear, just get us out of here!"_**_  
_**

The cabinet fell upon the book.

Voldemort turned around and began stamping out the fire with his right boot, and Harry looked at Ginny, motioning toward a large rusty axe he had been recently impaled on. Ginny ran over, grabbed hold of it and ran toward Voldemort. The man—recently having succeeded in saving the book he was tied to— turned around in time to dodge the attack, but not however, in time to save the precious book a second time. The axe fell and sliced the giant tome in half. After a full three long seconds, the Voldemort memory looked down at himself in horror. Where his waist had once been was a large, white expanse. This grew until it became unbearable to look at and engulfed the memory in light. Harry hit the ground just as the light and memory disappeared.

Losing consciousness, he looked blearily toward James, who was waking rapidly. "Dad… I'm glad… hey, Drac… I want that Journal."

* * *

**(Author's Note: I'm going to spare you describing where he woke up in, I mean, you can do the math right? Passed out in Hogwarts doing something dangerous that drew blood, that wasn't a clear invitation to the Hospital Wing at all! Also, I DO have a plot for the Dueling Tournament. Trust me.)**

Harry looked over at his father, who lay in the bed next to his, and gave a groan of annoyance. "That's what I said too when I realized where I was going," James replied with a cheeky grin.

Draco wasn't grinning when Harry found him however. "I'll have you know we didn't make the matches."

"So, we're disqualified," Harry asked, somewhat depressed. He had hoped to get a chance at continuing, and there was still the mystery of exactly who the elusive Muller was. Was that man really a Death Eater?

Draco shook his head, "There was an attack at the Ministry, the postponed the tournament for a couple of weeks, so you better-not-make-us-late-then. However, I've got something in here for you."

Harry reached into the bag Draco handed him and pulled out the mended Journal of Ravenclaw. "There's something else in here- no way." Harry had withdrawn a second journal; this one was punctured in two places, and had ink stains all over the front. This was undoubtedly the journal of Thomas Riddle.

"I got that from home, father had it hidden away after you gave it back to him, I figure since you're going about securing the Horcuxes, you might as well have that one." Harry placed them both in the bag, removed the locket and the ring and put them in there as well.

"Here, you need to take a Blood-replenishing Potion, take it now and it'll be over with quicker."

The next two weeks passed in a blur, Harry went back to work at the Ministry, and revealed himself and Draco for who they were, and continued their jobs as their true selves. Aberforth returned to the Hog's Head and thus Harry could as well, so he, Draco, Brian, James, Remus, and Sirius spent every night there until they were all too drunk to see straight, reliving old times and talking amongst each other, except for on Saturdays, where they all met at Grimmauld Place for lunch with the Weasley Twins, Bill and Fleur.

"So, Draco, Harry," Bill said the day before the tournament restarted, "Can I count on you two showing up tomorrow?"

Harry flashed a thumbs up from where he sat, face buried in a book on wards. "Remus, you're rubbing off on him," James commented dryly.

"Actually, I blame Lily mate." This left a heavy silence hanging over the room. Harry closed and put the book down, looking from person to person in turn. "I have an idea. Let's go to Hogwarts and play a game of Quidditch, I bet Remus could round some people up to watch a game, I can fill in players by looking around the school."

The general consensus was that this was a very excellent idea. "Well Remus, what do you say?"

"Let it be so," Remus said with a grin, "Minerva will have no problem with it, in fact it would raise moral."

* * *

It was this that found Harry, James, Remus, Sirius, Bill, Fred, George and Draco standing on the Quidditch Pitch almost an hour later, their respective brooms in hand. Harry dragged Ron, Collin Creevey, Ginny, Dean, Seamus and oh-so-begrudingly McLaggen onto the field.

"James and Harry are team captains," announced Remus to the crowd. "James has first pick."

"Sirius the Seeker, of course, and I'll play keeper."

"And here we have the teams; for team Harry; Fred and George Weasley make a return as Beaters, Ginny Weasley, Dean Thomas and Mr. McLaggen are Chasters. With the Keeper being Ronald Weasley and predictably Harry himself as Seeker. On team James, myself and Bill Weasley as Beaters, Sirius Black as Seeker, Draco Malfoy, Seamus Finnigan and Collin Creevey will play as Chasers, with James Potter as a Keeper."

As soon as Remus was done announcing the teams, Harry kicked open the trunk of balls, but blinked when he noticed something was wrong. "Where's the Snitch?"

As he turned to ask Remus what was going on, he noticed Madam Hooch making her way down toward the pitch, Snitch in hand. "Sorry," she called loudly, "I heard you were having the match and I had to fix the charms on the Snitch, it's not been flying quite right!"

The woman threw the Snitch into the Air as Harry tossed up the quaffle and released the bludgers. "Game on," came a voice. As Harry took to the air he saw Luna Lovegood once more in possession of the megaphone.

This was going to be good very, very good.

Harry grinned as Ginny sent the quaffle past his father for the first time. "_Harry 10 to James' 50."_

"Alright Gin!"

"_And of course we're all wondering where Harry's father has been so long, maybe the Snorlacks got him." _

Harry saw James' look of confusion and was about to yell for him to forget it when he got the first sight of the Snitch, which quickly sped up and disappeared from his sight again. Sirius had seen it too, judging by the way he had taken to scanning the skies like a hawk. "_And it looks like the seekers have spotted and lost the Snitch, but either Draco has just scored a goal or he's having some sort of attack." _

Draco was waving an arm wildly in victory, and Harry groaned.

_10 to 60._

McLaggen seemed to be better now; he retrieved the quaffle without a smart-alecky comment and took a shot, easily clearing James who seemed to be lagging a bit.

_20 to 60. _

Harry went back to scanning the sky and following Sirius like a shadow. However, this seemed to be of no use because each time he spotted it the Snitch would shoot off too quickly Harry couldn't catch it. Hooch had certainly done her job in renewing the charms on it.

Meanwhile, his team started scoring shot after show and so did theirs; the Keepers both seemed to be slowing down.

_110 to 130 _

Harry turned back to look where Sirius had been hovering and was more than a little perturbed to see him in a dive. Harry followed quickly, dodging a passing bludger Fred had sent at Draco, successfully causing the blonde to drop the quaffle into the waiting hands of Dean. Unfortunately, Remus did the same with another bludger, allowing Collin to retrieve the quaffle and score on Ron who had been following the exchange of the ball somewhat slowly as if he was drowsy.

"Wake up, Ron," Fred called as Seamus sent the quaffle toward him.

Ron stopped the ball just in time, tossing it off to his sister.

"SNITCH," Harry exclaimed, forcing the Firebolt faster. At that same moment, Draco made a dive to steal the quaffle from Ginny and the two of them collided into Harry, dropping the quaffle as he grabbed hold of the Snitch.. Their brooms fell out from under them, only Harry regaining any control of his, which suddenly fell from his grasp when Ginny flailed a leg out. As they fell, the three suddenly felt a tug behind their navels.

When Harry looked up again, all he saw was darkness, and somehow he didn't think that was right.

"Ginny, are you okay?"

"Yes, I think so, Malfoy, move your arm, you've got me in the stomach!"

"Sorry Gin," Harry replied, "That was me.

"And you're on me, Potter." Draco threw him forward and Harry found himself landing on cold stone.

"Alright, now that that's done, where are we?"

"I haven't the foggiest," Harry replied.

"Oh, Potter, but I do."

Light suddenly spilt into the room as two large wooden doors opened, and a lone figure entered the room. "Aunt Bellatrix," Draco said, suddenly very fearful.


	29. Chapter 29

_Disclaimer: I don't own HP._

_Author's note: I in no way condone endorse or otherwise support pedophila or the raping of children. This chapter will only serve to further Harry's rage. And seeing that this story is rated Teen, there will be no description, just a couple of implications, but Harry isn't blind, he sees the implications, and they infuriate him as much as they would I in his place._

* * *

"You're no nephew of mine, blood traitor," snapped the woman, her wand instantly turning on the stunned Harry. Harry flew up against the wall and was pinned to it. Ginny put up a fight but in the end she and Draco too were taken by surprise and pinned magically to the door.

"We're going to do this my way, Potter. Then the Dark Lord will reward me personally, it will be comforting for him to know that at least one of his most loyal followers hasn't let him down," she said, putting emphasis on the last words, her eyes glaring holes into Draco. Before Harry could combat anything, he felt a long gash appear on his leg, and saw her pull a vial from her pocket.

"Basilisk venom. Say bye bye, Potter." The vial was emptied all over his leg, causing the wound to burn like fire. As soon as the poison got into his wound, it was healed up. "Here we go, lets see… you should have a good five or so minutes."

"Harry, no!"

Harry looked at Ginny. "Don't worry, this woman's an idiot."

Enraged, she took a step closer to him, and Harry gave a smirk, his foot broke free from the binding and slammed his foot up into her chin, clearly knocking her unconscious. Immediately the rest of the binds failed, and the three hit the ground.

He could feel the poison spreading through his whole body quickly as he climbed to his feet. "I have to kill her now," Harry said, grimacing at the pain in his leg. "Then you two can escape with the portkey."

"Harry… you don't have to kill her," Ginny said softly, laying a hand on his shoulder.

"An eye for an eye, Gin," he replied softly. "It's my motto now, Voldemort owes me for everyone he has killed, and now she does for the kill she'll make."

"But Harry, you don't _have_ to, you can be different than him. You don't have to kill."

"Do it Potter, if she dies, your death won't be in vain. Ginny's and my deaths won't be in vain, you know the minute you die, they'll kill us too. Do it, kill her!" Harry had his wand pointed at Bellatrix Lestrange with a sense of dread.

"Merlin, it's like the Devil and the Angel are on my shoulders yelling in my ear. Killing her won't make me like Voldemort, because I won't enjoy it." This was a lie. He'd enjoy getting rid of the woman who'd killed Sirius. Did that make him just as bad as Voldemort? It'd be his first REAL murder, if he killed her. Draco's egging him on didn't help the dizziness the poison was causing. He'd fail… he'd die and Voldemort would rule over all!

Something clicked in his head, a monumental revelation of monstrous proportions and monstrous implications. Harry had delved into the dark arts before, had cast Unforgivables, but could he do this? "Draco, hold the snitch, now." He saw the blonde's hand reach forward and grab the snitch from his left and then focused on the form in front of him. "Hold it tight and don't drop it no matter what. Ginny… forgive me for this." Harry steeled his _soul _against the rush of guilt and fear that came with this next plan. He was already evil enough, committing murder. How about another shove in Voldemort's direction? He swung his wand up then back down and uttered, "_Avada Kedavra_," again he felt within him a wrenching, it hurt to murder. In a flash of green so quick he couldn't follow it, Bellatrix Lestrange lay dead.

"_Inan,_" he muttered. His whole body began to convulse, and he struggled to keep the tie with his sanity. A strong pain rushed through his chest and head, as if he was being cut in half. His wand tip flared bright green and he turned, pointing his wand at the snitch in his partner's hand. "_Abstineo_!" Harry felt the poison dig through him, and as the light hit the snitch, collapsed under its power.

He woke only a moment later. Harry drifted over himself. A mere flash of presence. He had no pain to tie himself to, no muscles to move, he could only hover. In a voice he barely recognized as his own, he said "Push me down." Draco cast his glance up to Harry and complied, pushing his hand at the mass of smoky something that was his partner. Harry returned to his living body with a cry of pain.

Breath stole through him once more.

"What was that, Harry, what was that," Ginny asked, looking afraid of him.

Harry smiled the darkest smile he'd ever smiled, one that reminded Draco of his old master. "That, Gin is a Horcrux." Harry reached out, and grabbed a hold of the now immobile snitch.

Draco finally broke his silence, growling. "This is insane. I've Seen this, only Weasley _wasn't_ here!"

"Harry, how _could_ you, it's… it's _evil._"

Harry looked down, obviously stung. "Am I evil, Gin?"

"I don't know… are you?" She asked this like an honest question. "I don't think you are… or rather, I don't think you were."

Harry felt like he'd taken a kick between the legs, and lurched backwards literally. "Fine, if that's how it is."

Before he could speak again, rage building within him—how dare she call him evil—he heard someone crying for help. "Someone's got a woman tied up," Draco said, interrupting the impending fight.

"Well, we've got to go help, evil or not," Harry said, letting his words prod a steel faced Ginny. He pushed past the girl, his heart breaking a little more with each step. When the next call came, he stopped focusing on the pain long enough to say, "not a woman, a young kid. Four or five at oldest." Harry followed the voice deep into the building, hearing the footsteps of his companions behind him. His wand was trained on every doorway as he passed, but he still felt vulnerable, like a sudden strength had taken flight from him. The silence began to stretch on, no cries coming. He was getting scared the voice's owner had died.

Suddenly the cry came once more, from directly to Harry's left. He turned and used his wand to blast a door off its hinges and rushed into the room, leaving Draco and Ginny behind. "We've got to catch up, whether you hate him or not."

Harry stood up from where he had been hunched over in a corner. In his arms he held a child of four or five, who was far too skinny for his own good. The boy was blonde and his blue eyes reminded Draco of someone he knew… though he wasn't sure who. He was so skinny his ribs were showing, and he was caked in filth. Mud and blood. The only clean thing about him was a pair of overlong shorts that it seemed Harry had just finished conjuring. This was much like the pile of –ahem- 'toys' of a sensuous nature in the corner. Harry's head was bent over the boy, examining him for wounds probably.

The boy stirred and looked up, then down, and closed his eyes again. Tears were sliding from beneath his eyelids. Harry waved his wand hand and cleared the boy of the mess.

"You poor thing… what'd that beast do to you?" In his arms, the boy opened his eyes and shook his head. "Was… was it Him, did he have red eyes?"

"The one who did it said that his Lord would torture him if he knew." Harry softly cradled the child to him; and Draco could suddenly see the father he could possibly become. The boy suddenly lost consciousness, and -looking madder than Draco had ever, **ever** seen him- Harry took off, holding the child in one hand, and the still snitch in the other, out of the door.

"Harry wait up," Draco called.

"A portkey would be too painful and scary for him right now. We've got to go find somewhere with a fireplace or… or in worst case scenario… apparate." He flexed his wand toward the Snitch and removed the charm making it a portkey. Harry could feel his own energy inside of it, and contact with his wand made it stir a bit. "Ginny, even if I'm as evil as Voldemort himself you better listen to me. Don't tell anyone else about the Horcrux, you got me?"

When the girl nodded, and he could tell she meant it, he continued, "Draco apparate with her to Hogsmead and go prepare the Headmistress and Madam Pomfrey for a visit. I'm heading off."

When he left the two of them behind and placed the Horcrux in his pocket, he felt he boy stirring in his arms. "Right, you're awake now?" The kid nodded, pained. "Right, here's what we do, first, are you… a wizard?"

The boy shook his head no, then yes then sighed. "I don't know… my brother is… I had another… but… he died."

"I'm sorry to hear that… is your brother a student at Hogwarts?"

The boy nodded. "What's his name?"

"Collin Creevey."

Harry's eyes widened again and he closed his eyes. "Oh… I see… you know… I know him, he's a friend. I was sorry to hear about Dennis. Here, I'm going to lay you down here so I can check you over." The boy nodded, and Harry was shocked by the scream he made when his back touched the stone floor, though it soon abated.

When his spells were complete, a slip of paper shot from his wand, he caught it in mid air and scanned it. "Not good… not fatal… yet… but not good," then louder he said, "what's your name?"

"B-Brian," the boy answered.

"Well Brian, I'm taking you to Hogwarts to get some medical attention and I'm going to bring your brother down immediately, okay?" After he picked the boy gingerly back up, he continued down the hallway until he turned into a room that held a fireplace. "Hey… can I ask you something, can you do me a favor?"

The boy nodded, fearfully, his bright blue eyes tearing up. Everything was so different, so scary. Even this boy who seemed to be friendly, seemed to be rescuing him was scary, he had a look about him that was almost like he was dead… his face was as pale as Dennis' face had been at the funeral… and he seemed so sad. "Can you… can you try to think of the person who did this to you, I can look into your mind… and see who he was, and we can make sure he doesn't hurt you anymore. Would you be willing to try that?"

There were several silent seconds before the child nodded. "Good, you're really brave you know that. Now, focus…"

_Legilmens!_

The spell took effect. Harry had discovered in the Chamber of Secrets during his intense training with Slytherin that he had inherited a very low power, low grade ability at Legilmency from Voldemort. Oddly they'd never gotten around to Occlumency.

There was, just barely in his mind's eye the picture of a man… and slowly it grew stronger, until Harry was forced to admit he recognized the man, though he didn't want to, he'd actually become friendly with this man….

_The scary man loomed over the small child, kicking him repeatedly. It was all sport, right? Filthy Muggles and muggleborns were nothing but their toys. The man finally kicked the boy so hard he lifted from the ground and slammed against the wall behind him. Blood came from the back of the curled boy's head, and still the man beat him violently. There came a knock at the door and the man turned his head. A masked Death Eater stood in the doorway motioning for him. "Come, Dawlish, we have work to do." _

Harry's mood, attacked by Ginny's earlier accusation that he was indeed evil, broke. Rage and sadness rose from his heart, a mixture of emotion that seemed incredibly volatile. He tried to choke it down. "My name is Harry Potter," he explained as he picked the boy back up. "I'm a friend of Collin and Dennis' from school. _Accio Floo Powder._"

The boy flinched as the spell was released which proved another suspicion to Harry, the man had used magic against him. "It's alright, I'm not going to hurt you." A drawer on a desk burst open and a pouch of powder flew right to Harry's hand. "Let's get you out of here and over to Hogwarts."

Picking the child up while speaking his reassuring words, he threw the whole pouch in without a second thought and called out his destination. "Close your eyes and your mouth, okay." Harry just had time to see that the kid had complied before the trip started. He heard a scream and then a coughing fit as they finished the spin, and he strode into Remus Lupin's office from his fireplace. The man was there waiting, Madam Pomfrey by his side. Harry hastily transfigured Remus' desk into a bed and lay the child down, wincing as he heard the scream which was accompanied with the ash Brian had inhaled being expelled. 

Remus was the next person he paid any attention to. He was bleeding badly, and his right eye was covered in a bandage which was blood red. The man was wobbly and it occurred to Harry that he had come down from the Hospital Wing when Draco had arrived with the news. He had to investigate, but first…

"Draco," Harry said to the man standing behind them all. "Could you do me one more favor?"

A nod.

"Tell Ginny to get his older brother, Collin Creevey."


	30. Chapter 30

Disclaimer: I don't own HP.

* * *

Ginny led Collin who was rushing to meet his brother down the hall. Collin just barely avoided the snake that had slithered into his path, and leapt over it before stopping. "Are you one of Harry's snakes?"

Thinking quickly, the transformed Harry nodded, and Ginny scoffed. "Liar. If you were Rudra or Maleck you couldn't have answered. I tried to talk to them all the time, though why you'd choose a snake as your form, I'll never know, perhaps trying to reflect your inner self." He let out a violent hiss, and for just one moment the snake side wanted to sink his fangs deep into her ankle for the comment, but the intelligent Harry shook his head violently. "Come on Collin." The girl looked truly beleaguered. Harry repeated his hiss and traveled on toward his destination.

* * *

He looked at his room, ruined, spoiled… disgusting. The old, partially brewed cauldron of Felix Felicis lay splattered about the rug, the table and the chair. The only things left after Harry moved on to the Unspeakable's Headquarters. He cleaned his cauldron with a wave of his wand and then shrunk and pocketed it. Harry sat down after repairing his cot and looked around. Hiding away down here in the Chamber had actually been so easy for Harry, it was the safest he'd felt in so long… but that was over. He couldn't run anymore.

Harry jerked upright. He didn't have time to waste if he was going to catch up with Draco and get out of that god forsaken school before he did or said something he'd regret. Right now that wasn't a broad variety of things. He stalked into the mouth chamber and down the long, long, long hall way to the unaltered room. He threw the door open and was shocked to see someone inside of it. Draco Malfoy and Collin Creevey.

The room was unaltered except for a pair of chairs they sat on, obviously awaiting him. "I'd figured we'd see you here, Harry. Are you ready to go?"

"Yes, let's get out of this place. I'm not sure I'm in control right now, Drac."

The boy nodded reasonably. "First you need to come by the Hospital Wing, Brian wants you," Harry turned toward Collin and sized him up. He seemed calmer now than he had been in the hallway. "Was that really you, the snake?"

Harry nodded, "Don't mention it to anyone, I don't use it much, it gets me really tired…"

Harry found the new door and opened it, exiting without another word to either. He went to the Hospital Wing first, just as he'd promised Collin, and saw Brian, fighting valiantly against taking a Dreamless Sleep potion. "He won't even trust me," Collin said, "Thinks we're imposters."

"Brian… what's going on bud," he asked as he got near to the struggling boy.

"H-how do I know it's really them," the child replied, obviously terrified.

"You know it's really me?" When the boy nodded he took the potion from the woman. "Then trust me and take this, it'll help, wait, what is this?" He raised the potion to eyelevel and made a gagging motion. "Well, it won't help your taste buds, but you'll be able to get rid of a lot of the pain, and it'll help you heal."

He brought the vial to the boy's lips and was happy when he saw the child comply. "Good, you need to try and sleep. Trust me, this is your brother, I promise you. They're all to be trusted, I promise you." The boy nodded sleepily, the Dreamless Sleep Potion already beginning to take effect. "I promise you something else, I'll find the guy who did this to you, alright?" When the kid nodded again, Harry turned and walked toward the doorway where Draco stood.

"Wait, thank you, Harry." He raised a hand in acknowledgement and stalked out the door.

"I've got to get to the Ministry, Drac."

He didn't bother to say anything else until they got to the edge of Hogsmead and could again apparate. "I've got to go pay the head of Magical Law Enforcement a visit."

"Wait, do you know who did this?" Harry nodded an affirmative. "Well, who was it?"

"The Head himself; Dawlish." Draco groaned; Harry was going to cause more trouble for them both! Harry turned and apparated on the spot. Let Draco go play it safe in the quarters alone, he had to do something about it.

* * *

So much anger and magic was put into his apparation that when he arrived, a wave of magic flew through the department, knocking shelves down, and papers off desks. He found Tonks, Kingsley and Savage first off, talking with several other Auror's in the corner. Tonks was red in the face and had ash all over her, as if she'd just been in the floo.

"Hey, you all," he called, to get attention. This was pointless; as the chaos that had resulted from his arrival had done the job. "I'm making a citizens arrest, I want you to see it."

This was killing all effect of a citizen's arrest in reality, but he did need the witnesses to show the battle that was sure to erupt. "If we see it, is it a citizen's arrest?"

"If you don't participate," Harry replied. "Just watch." He stalked past them towards Dawlish's office and without a second thought, kicked the door in. Tonks began to protest loudly, and so did a voice in the office.

"Dawlish!" The man looked up from his desk, thoroughly distraught. "You've committed a crime. I have no choice but to declare a citizen's arrest. You can come calmly, or you can jinx me, since I've declared it, your Aurors have no choice but to follow through."

"Not if you can't offer proof… and what crime have I committed?"

"Tonks, fetch me some Veritaserum, shove it down my throat, whatever you need to do, use legilmency if any of you can, I don't care, I have proof that not only is your Head a Death Eater, but he participated in at least the rape and torture, if not kidnapping of one Brian Creevey, a child whose last remaining brother goes to Hogwarts right now." The Aurors were immediately dead silent.

Dawlish, for just the briefest of moments looked like he was going to deny everything and keep his cool image together, as he stood and wiped off his clothes. Harry heard Tonks come up behind him, and saw with a bit of happiness that the woman drew her wand and had it trained on Dawlish from behind him. Good, he had back up and the support of an Auror, then suddenly and predictably Dawlish pulled his wand and shot a Killing Curse at Harry.Harry slashed his wand forward and let out a call, "_Munio!"_ For the first time, the Potter Shield Spell was met with the Killing Curse. His shield shattered like neither of the other Unforgivables had been able to do, and Harry saw with some fear that the spell was still there. Instead of continuing it's flight toward him, it hung in mid air, turned a bright red and exploded harmlessly, negating itself.

Shocked, Harry said, "someone tell me what I can do here-" before he could finish, Tonks had leapt past him, and knocked the Head of office unconscious with a particularly strong stunner. Harry was shocked when he saw the anger on her face.

"I knew it was an Auror! I bet he was the one who jinxed Remus in the fight! Remus left Hogwarts to give us a hand an hour ago. Someone gave us a call that Death Eaters were swarming muggle Surrey and we couldn't find Dawlish anywhere, we needed him to help us, no one knew where he was, he hadn't even signed out at the Ministry. So Remus came to help, and while we were fighting the Death Eaters… he got a nasty jinx for it from one of the Death Eaters. Only, the man didn't move like a Death Eater, he moved just like an Auror, not like a Death Eater at all." The woman made as if to jump from her position on the fallen man, but Harry grabbed hold of her, and was shocked when she burst into tears and grabbed him in a hug.

"He almost died, he didn't want me to know… Madam Pomfrey had to tell me through the floo, I… Harry you have to talk some sense into him, tell him he needs to go to Mungo's, the children can be fine without him, the Order is fine without him, tell him to go to Mungo's, please?" This overwhelmed Harry, and he helped the woman away from the scene and to her office where he made sure she sat down before returning to oversee the arresting of the man, and watched him get carried out, unconscious and bound.

He returned to find Tonks in even worse of a state than when he had left. Without knowing what else to do, he conjured a cup and filled it with water, handing it to her. "Just take a drink. Well, this explains why no one came to find Draco, Ginny and I, there was a big attack. This was planned out well then." Then another thought fought his way to his head. "Wait, you said it was in Surrey?"

"Yes… Harry, I'm sorry, they… they're… they killed your uncle and your cousin, your aunt is in St. Mungo's right now." His stomach gave several flips. Dudley and Vernon were… dead.

"Alright… that's it, come on Tonks."

"What?" The woman looked confused, though her tears were gone.

"We're going to force Remus out of Hogwarts right now, alright?"

The woman smiled gratefully. "They can still save his eye if he goes to Mungo's. Harry, thank you, and I'm sorry we couldn't stop them. How did you know about Dawlish though?"

"I found the kid; he's at Hogwarts right now with his brother. Come on Tonks, let's go take care of your fiancé, since he won't take care of himself." Seeing that the woman was too distraught to apparate, he offered his arm to her, felt her grab hold of it, and apparated to the edge of Hogwarts grounds. "Right, we've got to walk the rest then."

---------------

It took entirely too long for Harry's taste, knowing that Remus was suffering such pain. He tried to recap the events of what had seemed would be such a fun day.

First the dinner at Grimmauld Place, then the Quidditch match, to 'raise the school's morale' followed that. The snitch which lay immobile in Harry's pocket had been a portkey, and now was indeed a Horcrux, though he couldn't focus on that depressing thought right now. Ginny had effectively broken it off with him, the evil, evil wizard he was. He had retrieved the memory of the Death Eater who had tortured the four-year-old, and found out that same Death Eater had nearly killed Remus.

This was a long day indeed, and he suspected that when it winded down and he rested, the depression would kick in. He didn't know what he'd do, right now moving kept it at bay, but he knew a simple fact. His heart was the thing that was effectively broken. The doors of Hogwarts opened to permit the two entrance. "He'll be in the Hospital, Tonks, he's stubborn, not stupid."

The doors to the Hospital Wing were next to permit entrance to the Auror and the Unspeakable, and a big noise followed it because Tonks had shoved them open rather harshly. Remus sat up from his bed, and the Creevey's looked over at Harry from Brian's. Brian was asleep. "Mom, Dad, he's here."

"Not now, Collin," Harry said, a little rushed. Remus opened his mouth, as if to question Tonks and she walked right up to his bed and drew her wand.

"Up and off to Mungo's right now, Remus, " the woman demanded.

"Now, Nymph," Remus began, looking pained.

"No, Remus, I wouldn't argue, unless you want her to do to you what she did to the man who hurt both you and Brian over there." Remus looked at him helplessly.

"I have to help out around here, the children need me, Minerva needs me, who else would teach?" Harry gave him his best Mrs. Weasley type glare, but knew it did nothing compared to the angry Tonks.

"Remus, think about yourself for once," Tonks cried, loudly. Then she again burst into tears, and Harry turned away from the display, to see that Brian had stirred.

"What," the child started, and Harry gave a smile as Collin explained that he had caught the man who hurt Brian.

"No, really, she did," Harry corrected motioning toward Tonks.

Remus finally drew a deep breath and released Tonks. "Alright, alright, I'll go, you'll need to apparate me there, I'm too weak to do it myself." Tonks nodded, smiling again, and stood, putting Remus' arm over her shoulders. "How is it the most clumsy witch I know managed not to get hit with a single spell?"

Tonks gave an insulted glare and said, "Don't push it, buster." Together the two turned and slowly, with Madam Pomfrey's help, made their way out of the room. Harry waved goodbye to the boy who was falling back asleep, but before he could disappear, Mr. Creevey stood and motioned for him to stay there. Carefully he stepped around the bed and drew the curtains around it quietly, trying not to wake his son.

"It looks like I owe you for all three of my sons now," the man said softly. Harry looked down, not meeting eye contact.

"How do you figure that… I couldn't… I couldn't save Dennis."

"Yes, I think you could've you just weren't in the right place at the right time, and what's important is I think you would've. You saved Collin in battle twice and Brian, and I can tell you would've saved Dennis if you could've, and you made him a hero in the Wizard world, people want to interview Collin every day about his brother, but I don't think he'd like that, being some sort of a hero or brother of one."

"He wouldn't, take it from me."

"I just… wanted to thank you. You're always welcome at our home." Harry looked up, gave the man a smile, and nodded. He was pat roughly on the back and turned to see Hagrid and McGonagall behind him.

"I heard yeh was here, Harry. I'm glad you got out okay." Harry nodded as Mr. Creevey went back to the curtained bed.

"Yeah, thanks. I've got to go now though."

"Wait, Potter, would you be interested in filling in for Remus until he got back, I know you're busy at the Department of Mysteries but…" Harry looked up, and for the first time felt truly honored by something McGonagall said to him.

"Well, I could ask for a few days off… I've had a vacation coming for a long time… I'd… I'd be glad to. How long are we talking?"

"Judging by Remus' wounds, two weeks, except for next Wednesday, when the Dueling Tournament's going on. Classes will be canceled so the students can go see it, it was Remus' idea you know."

Harry took a deep breath. He wanted to go get drunk right now and then take a long nap, or—he was ashamed to admit—cry until he couldn't anymore. He had a Horcrux in his pocket, had killed a woman today, had been dumped by his girlfriend for being 'evil' and yet… he was being asked to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts.

"Sure, I'll be here for breakfast tomorrow, I'd stay, but I need to get some new clothes and… I need to pay Aberforth a visit."


	31. Chapter 31

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

* * *

He was hammered. Oh that was an understatement. He was stone cold out of it. Stumbling into his quarters at the Ministry, he went to flop down on the couch, only to find it occupied by two redheads. One was a man, Arthur Weasley, and the other, Ginny. Harry's inebriated mind raced to one conclusion, **Ginny had told her father and Arthur was here to turn him in**. Someone from behind him muttered a charm to clear his mind and erase the alcohol from his system, and when he turned he saw Draco standing behind him.

Ginny looked down at the floor. "I've taken Ginny out of the school for a few hours on the basis of a family emergency. She told me about the Horcrux." Harry looked down, his fear had been right. "I understand Harry." And up again came his head, shocked. "I get it, you wanted to live because you felt like you had to protect my daughter. I thank you for that."

Harry felt his breath catch in his chest when the girl looked up. She looked miserable, and Harry felt his heart aching a bit more. He could hear a 'but' coming on. "Harry… I'm sorry. I know there's a difference between Dark and Evil, and I know you're not evil."

"He's not Dark either," Draco said defensively, and Harry again paused to examine the boy and shake his head in utter shock at the change in him. "He used a Dark magic because if he was going to kill, and he could use killing, which he hates, to save himself, me and you, then why argue with it?"

"I didn't like it, well, I liked getting rid of her… she killed Sirius. But it also hurt, and it didn't help at all. Sirius was already back anyway. It's the only thing that I think keeps a line drawn between Voldemort and me." Arthur flinched. "And I tend to keep that there. I'll destroy my Horcrux tonight before I go to Hogwarts, I don't want it ever mentioned again, and as such… I promise I'll leave you alone."

"Alone, Harry?" she asked, "Not that… never that." She rose from her seat, and in front of her father and Draco seized his hand. "I don't want you to leave me alone, I wanted to help you, I thought you might be… relying on Dark Arts totally, then when I got here, Draco told me that other than then the Horcrux, the darkest thing you've cast is _nox_."

Harry laughed. "Good way of putting it I guess, Drac. Yes, I've cast Dark spells, I use them on Voldemort and his Death Eaters and any others who align with them. But I don't go out of control and use them on innocents. Even the Aurors in their time have had no choice but to use the Unforgivables, Tonks herself had to use one just a few weeks ago. Like I said, I'm getting rid of my Horcrux tonight, and dropping the Snitch back off at Hogwarts when I take over for Remus for a couple of weeks. If you'll forgive me for what you saw… what you had to see, then I'd… I'd be really happy, but whatever happens, Gin, you have to understand. We're. At. War."

Ginny pulled him into her embrace and tightened it around him. "By the way, how did it get turned into a Portkey?" Harry asked over her shoulder of the other two men, after taking a long moment to savor the feel of the warmth of the girl in his arms, and his happiness.

"Madam Hooch is a Death Eater."

Harry expected himself to run could with the anger that had started going through him, but the warmth from Ginny kept him focused. He had to focus, and calm down. "You really... want to stay with me?"

Ginny nodded, and he turned to Mr. Weasley, who looked relaxed. "If it'll help… watch." He pulled the immobile snitch from his pocket, and lay it on the table. "I don't have to kill anything to do a reverse. I won't tell you where I found all this information out, don't want to get fired. Now… _Inan!" _The snitch began to convulse just like he had, jumping up and down, and up and down. With a scream, the snitch began to expel a thick cloud of something, something Harry knew was part of his soul. "_Abstineo." _He brought his wand back to his chest, and felt a great pushing sensation. "Draco, hold me up."

The boy stood quickly and moved across the floor, lending some of his strength to Harry who it seemed was being pushed backward. Ginny came forward and put her hand on his back, pushing forward. The substance stopped screaming and drained into his chest, all of the sudden all their pushing sent him forward, and the three collapsed in a great pile on the floor, just like they had when the Snitch had been a portkey. Harry laughed as he pulled Ginny to him. The piece of his soul in him had somehow gotten ten times stronger inside the Horcrux, and now that he was whole again, he felt somehow… happy. Draco stood and wiped his robes off with a snarl.

"Glad I got caught up in that lovely little moment."

When the two separated, Harry stood and suddenly looked like he'd made a decision, the sudden change in his demeanor made even Arthur Weasley nervous. "Mr. Weasley… can I talk to you for a moment, Ministry business."

Together the two men went out into the hall, leaving Draco and Ginny alone.

"I'm shocked he forgave me," Ginny said softly. Draco ignored her for a moment and went over to the stove, pouring her a cup of tea from the kettle. When he returned and placed it in her waiting hand, he took a deep breath.

"After I got to be friends with Harry, I promised I wouldn't say anything bad about anyone of his friends again, but you, Weasley are an idiot." The girl looked up, highly affronted. "If he could forgive me… how could you not think he would you? There's no denying it Ginny, the-boy-who-can't-seem-to-kick-the-bucket loves you."

* * *

**Meanwhile, outside**

"What is it Harry?" Arthur asked after a long stretch of silence.

"Not Ministry business, actually, bad cover I guess."

"Just go on, it's alright."

"Mr. Weasley… I'm seventeen, Ginny is sixteen… we're so rocky but," Arthur bid him to go on; "I want to spend forever with her." Arthur nodded, a smile forming on his face.

"Would Mrs. Weasley or you object if… if I proposed to her this summer?"

This seemed to catch Arthur out of left field, and he hesitated before answering, which made Harry grimace and look down. "Have you thought this through, Harry?"

"Do you know how many times I've almost died in just the past two years? Of course I've thought it through." He looked down the hall almost as if he was afraid someone was listening. "I really… I… I couldn't go on without Gin."

"Then… you have my blessing." Harry looked back up at the man, happy to see the relaxed smile on his face. "I'll be talking Molly about it tonight. Are you sure you're ready for it though?" When Harry nodded again, the man gave a nod in return. "Well then, Ginny has to be back to the school tomorrow morning, and… I trust her to come home tonight via the floo. I'm going to bed now, tell Ginny I said goodnight." Harry nodded, realizing the level of trust the man had placed on he and his daughter. He bid the man a goodnight, said not to worry and opened the door.

The sight he was met with would have made him gasp months ago. Ginny and Draco relaxed together on opposite sides of a chess board, a mug of tea in their hands. He watched the game silently from the doorway for a few minutes before Ginny called out in victory, "Knight to E-5, and Checkmate." Draco groaned and sat back.

"No one beats a Weasley but a Potter," Harry said reassuringly to the other boy as he sat down beside Ginny. "Your dad said to come home via the floo before the night was over. He'll hex me to pieces if you ended up staying here I think."

"What were you two talking about?" Ginny asked, her eyes narrowed in a bit of suspicion.

"I told you, Ministry business," Harry lied, trying and failing more than miserably to keep a straight face.

"Harry Potter, you're lying!" she exclaimed, and he felt himself tacked backward, pinned against the couch. "Tell me the truth or else."

"Or else what?" he asked with a smirk, looking up into her chocolate brown eyes.

He felt her hand at his side and gulped, _Damn, she knows I'm ticklish!_

As the two enjoyed their closeness and the tickle fight that ensued, Draco stood, rolling his eyes. "I don't have to watch this, I'm going to bed." Moments later a breathless Harry heard the door to Draco's room slam shut.

"Prune!" Harry called, drawing Ginny back to him and putting his forehead against hers. "I'm glad we're okay, Ginny. I couldn't see myself without you. Well, I couldn't see much after the firewhiskey… but, you know what I mean."

Ginny held onto him, and they lay that way for hours, the crackling of the fireplace the only sound in the room, the orange glow from the same the only light. She slept, but he kept awake, savoring the smell, the sight, the feel of her against him, just lying there, as he wanted them to be forever. When the clock in the corner of his room struck midnight, Harry sat straight up, waking Ginny. "Harry, what is it?" she asked sleepily.

"Time to get you home," he replied. He stood stretching and then offered his hand which she took, and pulled herself to her feet. Her lips and his met for a moment, brief, fleeting, and totally worth it, before he put a pinch of floo powder in her hand and broke the kiss. "Go on, I'll see you tomorrow in class."

"Can I be a teacher's pet?" she asked cheekily.

"That's Hermione's job, now march young lady." With a smile on her face she flooed off to the burrow, leaving a slightly lonely Harry behind, smiling at the fireplace that she had once occupied.

Harry slept on the couch that night; he could smell the floral scent she had left behind. When he awoke next morning, stumbled into and out of the shower, he was planning on calling in sick, until he realized where he would be working for the next two weeks. Hope of just catching a few glimpses of Ginny and Ron and Hermione during classes kept him wide awake as he flooed into Remus' office and then joined the Great Hall for breakfast. Much against the Gryffindors' wishes, Harry sat up at the teacher table. It was a weird feeling.

After seeing the table full of so many people, people he liked, or hated, or had no opinion of, he felt odd as he lowered himself into a seat beside the Headmistress. He looked down on the four tables with a smirk playing on his face. He could get used to this. When they weren't staring at him in shock, anger or some other emotions, students had their heads bent over books or their bowls of whatever they were having this morning. His stomach growled forcefully, but he ignored it. No time to eat a meal big enough for him, so why eat one at all, he'd wait until lunch.

The great hall began emptying, and Harry ended the conversation he had taken up with Hagrid, stretching. "Well, I've got a class to teach."

"Harry," McGonagall called, causing him to stop and turn. "Be _careful_, you've got first years first." Harry groaned.


	32. Chapter 32

Disclaimer: I don't own HP.

* * *

"Well then, come on, shut up, sit down, and put away your ruddy books," Harry commanded of the children. They looked at each other curiously. He saw that right now he had Gryffindor and Slytherin. Something made him think he would have a headache soon. "Right, Professor Lupin left me instructions to go over every spell you have learned this year. He says to do it in- and I quote- in any way you believe is safe. Well, I'm not sure how many of you know of me, I don't exactly have a track record for being the safest person around."

So we're going to be having a learning experience here. My first thought was you could practice the spells on each other, but due to the fact you're all inexperienced, I have a better idea. One at a time, of all spells you know save the Stunning spell you will pick one of your favorites and you will practice it on me. Any objections? Good, take out some parchment and take notes."

The class looked around at each other, and Harry put on a look he hoped would be very akin to Snape's scowl. "Wonderful, alright, who's first?" A boy shakily raised his hand. Harry nodded, flexed a finger outward in acknowledgement. "What's your name:" The boy had dark hair, and slightly almond shaped eyes, in fact he looked very familiar.

"D-D-Darin Chang, sir." Harry's heart gave a leap. He took several seconds examining the boy, and it must've looked like a glare, because the child sank back down into his seat.

"Stand up then Mr. Chang, come on up here." Not a good start to the lesson. The boy stood and tried to walk to the front of the class when a leg shot out, catching his ankle and taking him to the ground. The class burst into laughter, and Harry grew outraged.

"YOU! What's your name?" The boy responsible stood, shocked. He had long, ebon hair and bright blue eyes, but his face –otherwise handsome— was in a scowl.

"Michael Zabini," the boy replied as Darin stood up.

"Zabini, get up here," Harry growled, the boy did as told and came to the front of the room quickly, looking afraid now. "Give me a spell, hit me with it now."

Zabini looked incredulously at him, and then gulped and raised his wand, muttering, "_Petrificous Totalus."_ Harry slashed his wand down, casting a well placed _Protego_ and watched with satisfaction as the first year felt his spell rebounded on him, strengthened a few times over. There was a thunk as Zabini hit the ground and Harry lifted the spell. "Don't mess with someone because you think you can Zabini, it always comes back to bite you. Ten points from Slytherin, and a detention with me this Saturday for disrupting me." There came an indignant muttering. Could he do that, what was his problem anyway? "Take your seat."

Darin Chang, who had watched the whole thing standing up, bowed his head fearfully when the boy came back to his seat. "Chang, come on up here then."

Quietly when the boy arrived he whispered, "Alright then, Chang?" When he nodded, Harry said, louder, "Give me a curse, a spell, anything you've learned or used in here."

Chang nodded, and then raised his wand and cast a very feeble Jelly-leg jinx. It was so poor of a spell in fact that by the time it hit Harry, it had little effect. "Well there's your problem," Harry said, catching the flaw. "Would someone mind having that jinx cast on them?" A Gryffindor girl stood up, and came to the front of the room, fearlessly.

"Good good, alright, Mr. Chang, watch and see if you can tell what you're doing wrong here." He repeated the spell, and watched it take effect on the brunette girl in front of him. "Now, can anyone tell me what Mr. Chang was doing incorrectly?" He asked, taking the spell off the girl and motioning her to her seat.

Harry heard a voice in the students mutter, "trying to use magic when he's a dirty squib." His eyes landed again on Zabini who was looking around at his sniggering friends, soaking up the glory.

"Well Mr. Zabini, on a roll are we? Okay, then, another ten points from Slytherin, another offense in this lesson will land you a nice little trip to see your head of house, you understand me?" Zabini nodded and sunk lower into his seat, an angry expression on his face.

"Since no one can, I'll tell you, Darin; when you cast the Jelly-legs jinx, the motion needed is a slash down and to the left followed by a vertical motion. You were actually avoiding the vertical motion and thus the spell had to travel upward to reach your opponent, good job though. Please, sit down." The brunette came up next and managed to bind Harry in a full-body bind pretty effectively, and the rest of the class did a variety of low grade spells, none of which were very good. They needed work. He'd give it to them.

"Tomorrow we'll be going over a spell I didn't learn until my second year, it was invented to make the victim unable to use his or her hand by fusing the joint in their thumb. It's quiet useful. For tonight, I want an essay on how the wrong type of movements can impede a spell, or even make it dangerous on the caster. No set length." Harry heard the groan and smiled. At that moment the bell rang and the students began to gather their things quickly. Some had even been taking notes just like he'd told them.

"Darin, stay after class." The boy sat down, hanging his head slightly. Harry saw two other children who were hanging around the doors, waiting for him obviously. "He'll catch up to you, go on." They looked over at their friend one last time concerned then took off.

"Come here for me, will you? When the boy had come up to his desk, Harry pulled out a quill and scribbled down a note to Madam Pomfrey. "I don't care what anyone says, that floor is hard and you're already bruising. Take this down to see her before your next class. What do you have next?"

The boy muttered that he had Transfiguration and Harry nodded. "I'll talk to Professor McGonagall, don't worry. And... your sister, she wouldn't want you to let yourself get trampled by that thug." The boy looked up.

"Y-You knew my sister Professor?"

"Yes, and whatever else she was, she was a strong willed girl, I know you've got that same will in you, right?" The boy nodded, looking slightly better. "Good, scat before the next class starts, I've got the rest of the first years next. Go on, Hospital now." The boy nodded and left the room after grabbing his things. Harry smiled as he left. The kid would be alright.

"Bravo, Harry," Harry's head shot up from his desk and he gave a sigh when he saw Sirius standing in the back of the room. "James wanted me to tell you he got the letter, he went off looking for you the moment you three disappeared. He was so worried about you." "Were you watching all lesson?" Harry asked, indignantly, "Didn't think I could handle it?"

"I came in about the time they tripped the boy, thought I'd sit in. I wanted to deliver the message from Prongs, and tell you I think you did a great job. That, and now that Hooch is gone, they're looking for a flying instructor and Quidditch Ref, and they happened to look at Grimmauld Place. It turned out to be a prime spot as they found both. James is going to come on as a flying instructor, permanently, and I'll referee Quidditch this year. I'm going to go get my Auror's license when the year's up."

Harry nodded as the students began to pour into the room. "Alright then, Sirius, I'll see you after my rounds tonight, I'll pop into Grimmauld Place." Sirius nodded and dodged past the students, some of whom had shot him a few curious looks, and out into the hall.

"Let's see, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff first years, yes?"

"Alright, an essay on the possible results of a spell when a wand movement is done incorrectly, on my desk tomorrow, got me," he called out after the class. No one answered of course, they all just wanted to get out of there. Just a couple more hours until Lunch.

The next hour was his free hour, so he walked down to McGonagall's classroom, where she seemed to also be on break, and knocked on the door lightly. "Enter." Harry complied and gave a soft smile. "Ah, Harry, I've heard you've had an interesting day."

"Yes, I wanted to make sure you excused Darin Chang, he was injured so I sent him down to the Hospital." The woman nodded.

"Yes, taken care of. Several of the first year students have been singing your praise. Apparently you've already given a detention." Harry nodded.

"Assaulting another student in the middle of class, thus disrupting it, seems like more than fair ground on detention."

"And I think you were lenient on the removal of House points, personally." Harry nodded.

"I hear you've hired on Sirius and m-my father." She nodded in reply as she continued scribbling on the parchment.

"Done," she finally said, and raised a scroll of parchment to him.

"What is it?" he asked, curious.

"Your certification to teach, you were excellently qualified, they sent it over right away for me to sign." Harry nodded and took the scroll. He'd need to lock it away with Dumbledore's penseive.

"You know, Potter, you might want to consider it as a career choice." Harry looked away, it was an uncomfortable discussion. "I know you wished to be an Auror, but I was hoping, after recent battles, and the fact you quit your seventh year," he cut her off.

"I've given up on that idea, completely, professor. I don't want to be in those shoes. I'm in them enough as it is, daily would be horrible."

"Glad to hear that, Harry, now if you'll excuse me, as Headmistress and teacher in this school, I have a lot of work to do," Harry nodded.

"Of course, Headmistress," he turned and strolled out of the room, toward his classroom. He had double-Defense with third year Gryffindors and Slytherins next, and then the rest of his classes after that were two sixth year class double-length, and one seventh year class. He cringed when he realized he had double class with the Sixth years and it was supposed to be a study day. He knew some of them, and it would NOT be pretty, unless...

* * *

"Alright you lot, quiet down." Thankfully, they complied. He looked over the sixth years with a smirk. "According to Professor Lupin, the today day is a study day for you, for you to study any way the class decides. We can do the following; I can watch you lot pretend to read for the rest of the hour, or you can have a little dueling tournament, Gryffindor Versus Slytherin." This idea was met with more than bit of enthusiasm, which caused Harry to smirk.

"And you'll be our referee?" asked a voice, sweetly, but hiding an agenda of its own behind its voice. Harry turned his gaze on Ginny, smirk still firmly planted.

"Ms. Weasley, I'll be facing down your winner. We have so few people in this class that we should probably go through the whole lot of you once each day, so think of it as four consecutive tournaments, sound fun?" With a quick eye over his class, he found himself grinning. "Right, line up in your houses you lot."

After they complied and he had cleared the desks to the back of the room, he looked them over. They were equally divided, as he'd thought, thirty students in each house. "Right, Collin and…" he checked his list and found the name of Collin's opponent.

"You two here, and Ginny and Malcolm Baddock." The boy looked angrily toward Harry and stood back in defiance.

"I'm not going to duel a girl!" exclaimed Baddock.

"Don't you worry about her, I know for a fact she is more than capable of handling herself, get out there or you'll lose Slytherin about five points." Baddock stood angrily opposite of Ginny and looked down toward the other end of classroom where Collin and Graham Pritchard were about to duel.

"Go. As soon as one of them gives up or is incapable of continuing, or if I call it to prevent damage to someone the other wins, the one who has lost will return to his seat at the back of the room and watch the tournament. As soon as one pair is done, the next two in the line, regardless of whether both are girls or both are boys or mix and match or whatever, will get the next duel gone. When we're done with the that we'll keep it going right into the next round."

Most students had stopped listening as Baddock was being attacked by a flurry of several large, hairy flying bogeys. They caught flame in mid air, a badly cast spell by Baddock. Harry could hear his cries of pain as fire began to burn at his face with the attacking cursed bogeys. "Baddock, Weasley, Weasley wins." Harry called while raising his wand to set the boy right, but Ginny beat him to it. The bogeys disappeared, and the boy, looking badly burnt on his face stumbled backwards. At the same time, Graham hit the ground, bound effectively. "Collin wins. _Finite Incantatem, _Pritchard, take Baddock down to Hospital. And you lot, come on, four more." A new round of duels began and Ginny and Collin started two lines, not divided by House.

Harry did his best to pay attention to the duels, but found himself laughing while trying to stop one as Ginny said, "You know I'm not taking it easy on you Collin," to which the boy only whimpered.

The two hours were almost up, but there seemed to be time for one last duel after this one, if they'd hurry up. Much to Harry's amusement, Ginny was left going one on one with another Gryffindor. A boy who was some relation to Zacharias Smith, which put him in more danger, if that was possible. She wasn't happy with Smith at all.

When finally the boy went down, he went down hard. Several binding spells had left him fighting one armed while the other was bound to his back, and a final binding spell had bound him to Harry's desk, ending the duel. Or so he thought. The boy had twisted his wrist, and made a very poor attempt at the correct wand movement of _Petrificous Totalus, _unfortunately it was so badly cast it turned on him, making him fall and hit his head hard on Harry's desk.

"Match Ginny I guess," Harry set about setting the boy right. He removed several physical bindings and then the others Ginny had cast; some of them he wasn't sure he could even identify. Collin, a black eye fresh on his face from his duel with Ginny, laughed as he saw Harry's apparent frustration trying to break one of the binding spells.

Ginny whispered something in his ear and he groaned. "That was dangerous; I don't even try using wards like that!" Ginny shrugged him away and he took a deep breath before reciting a long list of spells to disable a ward she'd used that would trigger should anyone cast a stunning spell at her. "Right, have a seat. I want the lot of you to watch this, this will be a lot more reckless than any of yours."

"Alright Ginny, I trust you; don't limit yourself to the spells you've learned here, I know you studied as much as I did outside the curriculum. Light, Dark, or opaque, if it comes to mind, use it." Ginny nodded, her face red from effort, and examining him fearfully. "Don't worry; I won't do anything at full power."

"Go!" she called, and silently cast a spell at him before he could begin.

"_Munio," _Harry said, he let his spell fire up and shoot hers back toward her. He grinned as the Bat-Boogey hex took effect on its caster. The shield disappeared and he turned back to her as she cast the counter-curse on herself and vanished them. Before she could fire off another spell, he said, "_Restrigue_!"

Several ghostly brushes surrounded the girl, blocking him from her view as they ran over her, and it wasn't a very comfortable washing at all. He began one of the more complex spells he knew, mainly because of the wand movement being rather exaggerated. When the long movement ended, he called out, "S_caurus_!"

Her ankles began to inflate, as if they were balloons. When she stepped forward to get away from the brushes, she tripped, and fell to the floor. "You're not even using Nonverbal magic on me," she said, loudly.

"Sorry Gin, don't need to. O_ccaeco!_"

Blindly she climbed to her feet, his spell making it impossible for her to see anything. This didn't stop her from casting a spell which sat his clothing aflame. As soon as he had put it out, she cast another. "_Barba!_" A thick beard sprouted from his chin and grew long and quickly, tripping him up as he tried to step back. He landed on the ground this time, and she reversed his blinding charm, and shrunk her ankles back to normal. "E_mulgeo_!" Harry could tell the students were looking at her in some awe, they were using spells most of them didn't know of, it was mostly his fault, he had left a few books at the Burrow after the wedding in Ginny's room as a gift for her, intentionally.

Suddenly he felt extremely tired, and his arm fell to the ground, and he leaned back, unable to keep his head up. She raised her hand to cast a stunning spell, but before she could Harry found enough strength and removed the spell keeping him down before rolling to his right and dodging the red spell. "Nice try, Gin, but… _hisco, langlock_!" Ginny felt her mouth open and her tongue stick to the top of her mouth in rapid succession. "Now, try something nonverbal, Gin. Not like you have much choice." With a glare, she silently cast a spell at him.

The spell caught his arm as he rolled away, just in time to hear the class bell ring. Harry was suddenly wrapped up effectively, and landed on the ground unmoving. "Ugh… Ginny wins… class dismissed, except for you, I'll set you right if you set me right." She gave him a glare, her mouth stuck open, her tongue stuck to the top of her throat.

"Ow ae I aces I uh oiha."

"IF you're sure about that," he said with a grin. She huffed and turned away. As soon as she turned to walk off, he wiggled his wand a bit, and she froze in place as his bindings fell. In rapid succession his next two spells set her back to normal. "Now, what did you say?"

"I said I'd take my chances with the Hospital, but… you let me win?" she asked, looking angry.

"No, when the bell rang, you I was unable to cast and you were able, so technically you won. Now get to class, or it'll be five points from Gryffindor." She gave a smirk, leaned forward, kissed him on the lips quickly and took off out of the door.


End file.
